just wondering

[Kat63]

I attend church pretty regularly. I love going to church. I feel safe there. I believe in God. I have a problem trusting him. There were some bad things in my past that I begged God to take away, or take me away from, and he didn't. When I needed him I was left all alone. I trust no one. How can I trust him?

[livingwaters]

Well, Kat63, I used to feel that way at times. See I was sexually abused and I prayed, and prayed....for about 13 yrs, I guess.....So, I got married at 15 yrs. old. In a way, that was my answer from God....He got me out of that situation....And now, I know, after reading "footprints," that God was right by my side all of the time, carrying me. One thing about the abuse, God never let it get to penetration. I do feel relieved about that. I dealt with this issue for a long time...It caused me grief, even after it was over. But, the Lord has set me free and even showed me how to forgive that person!!Alleluia

So, don't give up....don't stop praying, HE is listening...God is right by you....Why we go through some things, I'm not sure....but, being a Christian, I know I'll be able to ask the Lord face-to-face one day.....But, you know what~~~I'll be so happy to see my LORD and SAVIOR, that I won't be thinking about the trials I went through in this miserable world of evil....Just know, that the only way you will get your answers from God, is by accepting Jesus as your LORD and Savior....

Please ask here if you're not sure about it. But, remember, God is not man...HE LOVES us unconditionally!!!!Amen.

God Bless You.

[Slug1]

I attend church pretty regularly. I love going to church. I feel safe there. I believe in God. I have a problem trusting him. There were some bad things in my past that I begged God to take away, or take me away from, and he didn't. When I needed him I was left all alone. I trust no one. How can I trust him?

Do you at all feel that the tribulations you went through was to develop you? I know all the problems I had in life God is now using to help others as once I fully surrendered to God, He lifted me back up.

Now I trust God fully and when I find myself in another tribulation (period of pruning) I praise Him as I learn from the problems and then allow God to use me more to help others.

Praise God, don't complain when the going is tough.

[FaithfulSheep]

If you have not, you should read Daniel chapter 3 about Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego and the fiery furnace. As they say, the Lord is able to deliver them from their circumstances, but as you learn from reading, He does not always do so. Although it may be hard to fathom at this time, there is a reason you are going through this stage of your life. Just becaused He didn't take away your problem doesn't mean He left you alone. He is there during the hard times and the bad times, we just have to place our faith and trust in Him. The Lord was there beside you every step of the way and is still there. Call out to Him.

[CoffeeCat]

Heya, Kat.

Thanks for your question. I'm sorry you've gone through some rough stuff, and that you've felt alone in the middle of it all. God doesn't always take away our problems, Sometimes, He lets us keep those things in our life, hard as they are, that might make us stronger one day. You aren't alone, and never have been. God's there. You can call out to Him any time... if you want that closeness with God, that trust, a loving relationship, now's the time to have a talk with Christ. Invite Him into your heart. Repent, turn around, and begin to follow Him. Following Christ means you can leave the loneliness, the feeling of being overwhelmed and all by yourself... because Christ will be with you. He's the way we've got, to come to God. Ask Him to lead you and guide you, through ALL times -- the good and the bad. He will. He ALWAYS carries us and loves us through the worst and the best. And He loves you, and wants you to come to Him.

I'll be praying for you.

[BroRog]

I attend church pretty regularly. I love going to church. I feel safe there. I believe in God. I have a problem trusting him. There were some bad things in my past that I begged God to take away, or take me away from, and he didn't. When I needed him I was left all alone. I trust no one. How can I trust him?

This may sound silly so take it for what it's worth. You need to do three things.

1. If you don't have a Bible, buy one. Get a pen or a pencil and underline all the passages that speak about God's faithfulness and trust. If you don't believe what you read, that is fine. It's ok. In fact, the important thing is to stay true and honest at all times. Take the verses to God in prayer, and say, "Hey, you said this in your word. What about it?"

2. Sit down with a piece of paper. Draw a line down the middle. On one side list all the times that God failed you. On the other side, list all the ways in which he blessed you. Be honest on both sides. Believe me, God would rather deal with an honest person than a holy person.

3. Finally, confront people in your church. Get in their face and ask, "I want to hear your testimony. What has God done for you? Don't let them shine you on, or speak in platitudes. Nail them down specifically. If you aren't satisfied with the answers, go find another church and do the same thing. Keep at it until you get what you are looking for. What you are looking for is honesty, and humility. Keep it real. Keep it true. And really listen to those who are real and true. Once you find a person or persons like this, then ask them, "what did you do to get this far?"

[Kat63]

I've seen a few people baptized and then I continue to watch them to see if I see anything different about them. So far, I can't really tell that anything is any different about them. So why would anything be different for me?

[Slug1]

I've seen a few people baptized and then I continue to watch them to see if I see anything different about them. So far, I can't really tell that anything is any different about them. So why would anything be different for me?

Because faith and quality of faith are two different things. How is the quality of your faith?

[Kat63]

I don't know. I know there is a God. I think he chooses who he wants and the rest of us are left to struggle along. I hope that doesn't sound bitter. I really don't mean it to be. I just know I've read in the Bible that he's said: I will have mercy on whom I have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.

[Buck shot]

I don't know. I know there is a God. I think he chooses who he wants and the rest of us are left to struggle along. I hope that doesn't sound bitter. I really don't mean it to be. I just know I've read in the Bible that he's said: I will have mercy on whom I have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.

You are right, it says that. It also says...


John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

God knows everyone's future. He knows who to choose because He knows who will choose Him. He sent Jesus to die for all who will lay down their life to follow Him. If we choose to continue serving ourself instead of Him, why would we expect Him to show mercy or compassion on us?

[Buck shot]

When I needed him I was left all alone. I trust no one. How can I trust him?

Heb 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

If you were saved He could never leave you. Sometimes we still feel abandoned but we really are not. It's kindof like teaching a kid to ride a bike. You do not want to see them fall but you know you have to let them so that they can learn. We go thru many tribulations in life that are to help us grow and learn. The problems we go through are what makes us who we are. If you continue without the Lord as your guide, you will never know the peace that comes from understanding this...

...and you will never have someone that you can trust 100% of the time.

[Tanya~]

I don't know. I know there is a God. I think he chooses who he wants and the rest of us are left to struggle along. I hope that doesn't sound bitter. I really don't mean it to be. I just know I've read in the Bible that he's said: I will have mercy on whom I have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.

Heb 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
NKJV

On whom does the Lord have mercy and compassion? How would you know that you aren't chosen? I think it is unfruitful to try to know what only God knows. It is better to focus on what He calls us to do, and do that. Seek Him! You will be rewarded if you do.

Jer 29:11-13
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
NKJV

[Sold Out]

I don't know. I know there is a God. I think he chooses who he wants and the rest of us are left to struggle along. I hope that doesn't sound bitter. I really don't mean it to be. I just know I've read in the Bible that he's said: I will have mercy on whom I have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.

Kat...God would not be good if He just picked and chose who He wanted. He lets US chose, because in order to have an honest relationship of love, we have to chose Him of our own freewill. Otherwise we are just puppets. I suspect that you question the goodness of God.

What you read (about mercy) from Romans 9 is Paul explaining that God is righteous, even though He just punish the unrighteous (unsaved). Punishing the unrighteous does not make God unrighteous. It makes Him a fair judge.

I had a lot of bad things happen to me as a child & as a teenager. I asked God to deliver me from those situations...but He didn't. I didn't understand why a loving God would allow me to go thru what I did, but now I do. I know that I would not be the person I am today had I not gone thru them. Not only that, I can be a testimony to someone else who's had similar experiences and needs to know that God has always loved them.

God loves you and is worthy of your trust. The kind of trust I'm talking about is with your soul. When Jesus went to the cross, He took the sins of the whole world (past, present,future)...even the sins of those that weren't even born yet...and He suffered your punishment in your place. He took the punishment we deserve so we would not have to pay the penalty for our sins. Romans 5:8 says that God PROVED His love for us by Jesus dying on the cross! He's already proved how much He loves you! Now you must trust....you must take your eternal soul and put it in Jesus' care. You have to reach out and take the gift that Jesus has offered you, and trust Him to save you and take you to heaven when you die. It is the ultimate act of trust! Just pray and admit to God that you are a sinner headed to hell, and you need a Savior. Ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins and give you a new heart.

[Slug1]

I attend church pretty regularly. I love going to church. I feel safe there. I believe in God. I have a problem trusting him. There were some bad things in my past that I begged God to take away, or take me away from, and he didn't. When I needed him I was left all alone. I trust no one. How can I trust him?

I've seen a few people baptized and then I continue to watch them to see if I see anything different about them. So far, I can't really tell that anything is any different about them. So why would anything be different for me?

Hey Kat, as I reread this I had a thought. Something kinda hit me while reading a book about King David... When you were praying for God to change everything in your life (take it all away), did you ever feel that instead of changing everything around you that He wanted to change you instead?

How can you be a better Christian if when life is tough and you pray for God to take it away... how will this make you grow? Imagine a child alway getting everything they want from their parents, never given advice to help themselves, or worse (and kinda like I feel this is you) never listen to their parents and just do it their own way... what do they grow up to be?

Trust begins with trusting that everything that God has put you through OR allowed you to put yourself through cause you weren't listening to Him is for a purpose, a purpose which is usually "to grow". Instead of not trusting God, praise Him and surrender to Him so He can lift you up and show you the way out.

[Kat63]

Thank you all for your responses. It's a lot to think about.
Trusting is very hard for me. I see a counselor about the "bad things" that happened. It has taken me well over a year to trust her enough to talk about it. A friend, who is a Christian, tells me that I try to be the one in control of everything in my life instead of giving over control to God. I know that's mostly true. But it seems that the times I've tried to let God be in control other bad things happen -- so I take it back.