This couple introduced me to Christianity a while back and I thought they were really good friends of mine.Now they don't care about me at all and don't want to be my friends anymore. It seems like they only wanted to get into God's good graces by converting me and that's the only reason they became friends with me or pretended to be.
I can't help but feel extremely hurt.And I know that having things go sour with them doesn't mean that I should walk away from Christ.But I can't help but associate all the bitterness I feel for them with the religion they helped me explore.
I was very serious about Christianity for the longest time but now it just feels so hard to have a personal relationship with Jesus. I am contemplating dissociating myself from religions, and just going back to who I used to be; a God-believer, who respects all religions but didn't particularly follow any.Does this make me a horrible person?If so how do I stop being angry with Jesus about what happened with them?
2007-06-27 05:11:56 · 25 answers · asked by Belle 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
It does not make you a horrible person. Sometimes people come into our lives for a reason and a time. If this couple has shunned you I am sorry. But, never let another person affect your walk with the Lord, keep your eyes on the Lord not on any other man.
2007-06-27 05:15:59 · answer #1 · answered by sparkles9 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It totally makes sense that you're feeling this way. Don't you hate it when people do things like that? No you are not a horrible person. I don't agree with your decision which is going back to where you were before. But that's all right, I have my opinion, you have yours. And about being angry with Jesus, I think in psychological terms thats called association.(I just learned it two days ago so i can't give a good description..)
But God would rather you to be angry at him than not talking to him at all. Really, I'm not trying to be some person who thinks they know everything. But I've learned that Christianity is all about relationship. Its not about dos and don'ts its just about relationship. I encourage you not to let your relationship with that other couple stand in the way of your relationship with Jesus. People always dissapoint. But Jesus loves you more than you could even imagine.
Keep reading the Bible, and if you aren't already, start! Some Psalms, or a chapter of Proverbs a day is good. And the gospels are good, too because they're all about Jesus.(I'm not saying the rest of the Bible is bad, but this is just easier reads to keep you going and motivated to keep reading.)
Whatever your decision be, just know that God still loves you anyway.
2007-06-27 05:23:35 · answer #2 · answered by Abigail M 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
First of all, you don't really know what happened with them. You assume that they reached out to you only to get you to convert and then they moved on. That could be true but could also be far from the truth. It is also quite possible that these people reached out to you in true friendship and that there is something about your manner or approach that has since caused them to pull away. There are, of course, many other possiblities as well. The best way to find out for sure is to sit down with one or both of these people and have a good, honest talk. Of course honesty is risky. It takes a lot of courage.
Even if you find out that these people are completly selfish jerks, that should not be a barrier to your walk with Jesus. Do you really understand what it means to seek after Jesus and follow him? If so, how can you contemplate "just going back" to the person you used to be before? Do you have the Holy Spirit in your life--leading, guiding, comforting you? I think you also need to have a very serious, heart-to-heart talk with Jesus about your relationship and all of these feelings you have (and no they don't make you "horrible").
Many years ago there was someone I greatly respected, who taught me so much about following Jesus, who really lead me to share my faith and still has a huge influence on who I am today. This person was arrested and convicted of a horrendous crime. Many of my friends saw this as a reason to completely walk away from Jesus. I did not. I was and am not following this man. People always fail in some way (some worse than others). It's Jesus I'm supposed to put my faith in. Seek after him, and you won't be disappointed.
Blessings.
2007-06-27 05:29:01 · answer #3 · answered by happygirl 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No you are not a "horrible" person. In fact you have "been used" in a way which is common among people who are unconverted followers of Jesus Christ. And this is nothing new. Please be patient for this is a hard subject.
To become a Chrisitian one must be introduced to Jesus Christ. This introduction starts with Jesus and not with us. It is not the same thing as being introduced to Christianity or the Chrisitian religion.
Over the past 2,000 years, a great many unconverted Christians, and Christians not called to the service they perform, have been preaching Christ. Along with this preaching and teaching they have been passing on their own understanding without the power of God. This results in the weak Christianity we have today; not counting the false doctrines preached by many.
What you were converted to, in part, was not Christ but rather what these people told you. What you picked up was not His pure spirit but a mixture of the gospel and the spirits on this couple. This is the trouble with most of Christianity today; aside from those given over to lusts.
From reading your post I know you showed some faith. The Lord honors that and will uphold his name in a situation like this. You see, even St. Peter was not converted during the three years that he followed Jesus. No one is converted or born again or has real power, until they come to Pentecost, as Jesus said.
I am not making fun or condeming these people; because I walked in their shoes for many years; a believer with my own ideas of the gospel. More of a boy scout than a Christian.
I gather that you have an idea about following Jeus and having a feeling towards him. If you believe in Him as the lamb of God; and as God restoring fellowship with his lost sheep, you are justified by faith and are a Christian.
However you still need to be converted in a full surrender of your life and Christian baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is seldom done aside from the preaching or testimoney of people who are themselves converted and living in the fullness of life in Christ Jesus.
The Lord knows your heart better than you do, so tell Him up front how you feel. Ask Him to lead you to understand the Bible and lead you to the people that you need to complete your union with Him. When you do this pray aloud to the Lord Jesus Christ. Above all, do not let bitterness rule in your heart for it is death in disguise; a cancer on the human spirit.
The Christian walk starts out, and always remains, not an exploration of religious ideas, but seeking, finding and staying with the Lord Jesus. It is a love affair in which he comes into our hearts by faith. In this affair we let him explore our hearts and we explore the wonders of His love. If you have any question u do not fail to contact me.
2007-06-27 07:05:40 · answer #4 · answered by Tommy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm going to step outside the religious box here.
There are people like the ones you describe. They believe it will make them look better to other people. I don't know why they have turned their backs on you. It could have been that they are the type of people who don't keep friends well.
You don't have to feel like you have to separate yourself from a belief you have. Your relationship with Jesus is not defined by those people. That is your relationship and no one can take that from you unless you let them.
Now if you have just decided that christianity isn't for you then see what else is out there. If you believe you NEED to follow a religion then find something that fits your heart. If you don't need religion then believe in your God and if that includes Jesus that's ok. Don't feel like you have to do something to keep others happy.
2007-06-27 05:19:03 · answer #5 · answered by Janet L 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God knows your heart and knows the pain you feel. So let Him be there for you. In your prayers, be honest about how you are feeling. Then sit and be still knowing He is God and wait for Him to speak to your heart.
Also, you should go to this couple directly. This is not easy, but it is what we are taught to do in the Bible. Go to them and let them know that their behavior has really hurt you. It is possible that you are right, they befriended you with the idea of being "zealous for the Lord" and converting you, and now that they succeeded they've moved on. But they probably don't realize this is what they are doing. By going to them, you may help them realize they are sinning and not accomplishing what God wants from them. That gives them the chance to repent and ask God to help them change so they don't do this to other people in the future.
People are very imperfect beings and will let you down. I'm so sorry this has happened to you. I think you need a lot of prayer on getting through this. But don't let Satan snatch away the seed of faith that has been planted in your heart. He'd love that. Cultivate that "good soil" where the seed of faith can grow, rather than letting your heart be the shallow soil, the thorny soil, or the hardened pavement. If you don't know what I am referring to, it is a parable of Jesus' to describe the different things that happen when people hear the word of God.
2007-06-27 05:30:20 · answer #6 · answered by Michelle M 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My advice would be to take some time and examine your reasons for accepting Jesus in the first place. If it was out of a sincere belief, then perhaps leaving christianity isn't for you.
If you are honest with yourself, you'll know whether you accepted it because you wanted to belong with your friends or if it really was the path for you.
You are NOT a horrible person.. you are a human being who has been hurt by people you trusted. That is completely understandable.
Just pick the path that is right for you and don't let anyone tell you what to believe. I wish you all the very best no matter what you choose.
2007-06-27 05:25:08 · answer #7 · answered by Kallan 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
First off, as a Christian, I want to apologize that this couple did this to you. The only reason a person should share their faith is because they care for the person. If you try to convert people into being Christians and your heart wasn't doing it for the right reasons, let me tell you, YOU GET NO REWARD. So I wish I could explain that to the couple. Let me say this. Being a Christian is about RELATIONSHIP with Jesus. Let me break it down. My religion is baptist, however, in the Word of God, God said upon this rock(in the new testament) I will build my CHURCH. Do we see denominations or religion. We do not. I would say to you to be sure of who God is in your life. I would not turn to world religions like buddism or any other thing like that because faiths as that do not believe in the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords but gods(lower case g and no power). Let me also share with you this. Just because you are a Christian does not mean that the road will be easy. I would love to tell you that I have been betrayed by some people in the body. Hurt by people in the body. But guess what, God strengthened my faith and character. His words says this that ALL things work together for the good of those who love God and those that are called according to His purposes. So, God doesn't work with our natural thinking. We think of everything bad as something to just mess up our day. In those bad times, God is our source of strength and our present help in time of trouble. So, again, as a Chrisitan I apologize to you for them doing that to you. Also, I must tell you that God gives us a free choice. He doesn't want people to be hurt so please, you should not be angry with God. These people made a choice to be disobedient and not to treat you as they should have. Everyone must given an account. I pray this helped you and if you need to write me, feel free. Do not give up. God loves you with an everlasting love. Keep this scripture in mind. He loves you.Psalm 103:17
17 But the love of the Lord remains forever
with those who fear him.
His salvation extends to the children’s children
He also said He would never leave nor forsake you.
2007-06-28 03:31:29 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are supposed to forgive. As you know even Christians fall short and are sinners. This should not make you stray away from God. If you are using that as an excuse then I suggest getting over it with the help of prayer. Seek God first...ask Him for a closer relationship. Ask Him to reveal Himself to your heart.
The average Christian will go through many friends and even visit many churches before they settle on "their church". Try visiting a few other churches until you find the one you are most comfortable. Do not give up Jesus.....He didn't give up on you.
2007-06-27 05:21:34 · answer #9 · answered by saved_by_grace 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Just remember that all people make mistakes. Obviously something attracted you to Christianity -- don't walk away from that JUST because you're angry.
Take some time and really pray and think about the situation. Did you become a Christian because you wanted to spend more time with your friends? Or was there something about it that really caught your attention?
I went through a similar situation. I attended church for two years before I became a Christian. I worked with the wife and became really good friends with her, and she introduced me to her husband and I started going to church with them. After a while, the husband started becoming jealous of my friendship with his wife, and they basically cut off all communication with me. They stopped sitting with me on Sunday mornings. I was angry and contemplated not going anymore. Then one morning, when I was sitting alone, the man who is now my husband invited me to sit with him and his family.
Whatever you decide, make the decision because it truly is what's best for you -- and decisions made in the heat of anger and hurt aren't usually the best ones. I wish you the best of luck!
2007-06-27 05:28:22 · answer #10 · answered by ◦Delylah◦ 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋