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how to become christian?
i've grown up going to a christian church and school and i pray everyday but i've never felt God's presence before...
i try to have faith and seek him but it's hard when i don't feel he's there and i feel like there's a hole in my life and i feel lonely but i just don't feel like i'm a christian even though i want to be.
how do i become a christian even though i've already been praying and going to church and have seeked him but don't feel anything??
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Maybe give some free advice about: Spirituality?
prayer is the key..its POWER..you cant give up, ask God to reveal himself to you..The devil likes to play tricks in our heads and tells us to quit praying..you gotta be strong and ask God to give you the energy and strenght to keep going forward..Ask him to forgive you for all your sins and work in your heart, tell him exactly how u feel..talk to him as if he was your friend. he listens. keep prayin!
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read this it might help [Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
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Basically TheGivingTree said what I wanted to say, I just want to add that you seem to have the wrong idea about "fnding" God in my opinion. I think God is just the realization that as humans we are a tiny part of something we will never understand and also it gives us something to work towards to be good people. To me it's something that feels very calm and almost magical to think how "nothing" we actually are. To everybody it's something different I guess.
I am amazed I am saying these things by the way, since about a year ago (when I hadn't thought about it much) I decided I would never be remotely religious in my life... Oh and I didn't realize what it is (actually I guess I still don't know anyhting, but if we are going to talk about it like that) by "searching" specifically for God, but by thinking about our existence as humans, and the universe, and the balances throughout nature... :)
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As somewhat of an atheist, I'm not sure that I'm giving you the answer that you're looking for, but I'll give it a shot.
Christianity is just one major branch of religion, and within it are a large number of groups with specific beliefs that separate them from others (Catholics, Baptists, Evangelicals, etc.). That being said, it could be that the reason you're having trouble is that you're barking up the wrong tree...so to speak. You may want to read up on a few other branches of Christianity other than the one that you're a part of to see if their ideals fit in with what you're looking for.
Perhaps Christianity isn't even the religion for you. You may find happiness with one of the other major branches of religion.
Belief in God shouldn't be something that you force yourself to adjust to conform to a specific set of ideals that are laid out by a group.
I hope you find what you're looking for, and I'm glad that you've got enough sense in you to consider your faith rather than making a blind committment.
22/m
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Becoming a christian. You become a christian and is "saved" when you accept Jesus as your savior. You might get that feeling because you haven't prayed to God to accept him into your life. To shape you into a better christian and take you to heaven when you die. If you already have, that's good. That means you believe there is a God in heaven. You don't necessarily "feel" him. You just know he is there and acknowledge his presence. But the most best advice I could give you here is to talk to your pastor. He probably can give you the best answer there is. Good luck!
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You won't wake up one day and have a halo over your head just because you prayed for it. You don't feel God like you feel sunshine or a breeze, I'm sorry if someone made you think that's how it works. People exaggerate.
Church is supposed to be a religious experience. The community, the rituals, the songs, all that stuff is supposed to make you feel good and holy.
Well, that works for some people, but there's more to God than scripture. Find yourself a quiet tree, turn your cell phone off, close your eyes for a minute and breathe.
After you calm down for a minute you'll realize you're pretty tiny compared to the tree, and the tree is pretty tiny compared to the earth, and the earth is really tiny compared to the sun, etc... but we're all made up of the same tiny little cells, and we're all sharing this moment in time together.
Then, get up and return to your daily life. Realizing that the day-to-day problems are insignificant in the grand scheme of things, living your life as a good person becomes a necessity, not a chore.. and THAT is how praying and church and feeling God is supposed to make you feel.
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I don't know exactly what to say to you for the reason that I've felt that same way for a while now.
Like you, I want to feel God and just know in my heart that He's here, but I've never really felt that way.
I expressed my feelings to a religious friend (I believe she's Baptist), and this is what she told me: (By the way, her daughter was just a few months old when she wrote this - and I think she also mentioned her daughter because she and I share a birthday)
"You don't always feel God. He isn't a feeling. That is an assumption that many people make--that it is an emotional experience to "find God". God wants your faith and trust much more than He wants you emotions. Trust me--there is a God. Have you seen my amazing baby girl lately? Someone had to be in charge of designing that whole process--conception, growth, birth. Most Christians take God for granted just like you described--the mindset that you only pray/talk to God when you need Him. When things are going good, most just forget. But He wants us to depend on Him. I feel much more confident knowing that God is planning out my life without my help. That's how I got my wonderful husband and adorable daughter. It's how I wound up coming to Concord and teaching your class. God puts us where He wants/needs us."
So that's what she told me - that God isn't a feeling and that just because I don't feel him deep down, that doesn't mean he isn't there. I try to remind myself that not feeling him doesn't mean he isn't there, and trust me - I know exactly what you're going through.
It's still hard on me to try and believe in Him because it just feels weird to put my trust in someone/something that I don't feel at all. I have friends who are so into God and religion, which makes is awkward because they appear to have the feeling that you and I seem to be missing.
I just wanted to comment this and let you know that I'm going through the same thing you are. So if you ever want to talk about this, let me know - message me to my inbox or anything.
It's really complicated, the way that you and I feel. It's like, I want to be Christian, but I just can't put my full self into it if I don't feel it. Maybe you feel a little differently about it than I do, but reading your question just made me feel like, thankkkk goodness I'm not the only one who feels that way! You made me feel like I'm not alone or crazy for feeling the way I do -- like I want to believe in God and put my faith in him, but it's hard when I don't actually *feel* his presence. So now I hope that, through answering this, I let you know that you're not the only person who feels this way!
S_C ((18/f))
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