# How Do You Renew Your Faith, When You Are Constantly Suffering ?



## VIncymon (Apr 16, 2009)

I am a jealous sinful man. I try to fight it. I have tried to fight it. But it is there. I pray to God to help me change into a better man ....but I don't feel the change.

I am jealous of people who are able to socialize easier than I.

I am jealous of the men who understand intuitively how to keep their woman interested and don't go through the kind of nonsense I am going through now (treating your woman right, only for her to get bored and leave you)

I am jealous of people who took easier, shorter career paths than I, are making more money and married while I have only just graduated.

I am jealous that others seem to stumble upon huge sums of money and success whilst my family continue to struggle to make ends meet.

I hate my sinful nature. I hate that no matter how hard I pray for increased faith...I remain always skeptical of God's existence and influence in my life.

Faith feels like a joke. My father has followed every dietary advice imaginable , every exercise regimen possible...and still got diagnosed with Diabetes. But hey I guess I should be saying "Thank God he doesn't have cancer, right ?"

My Mom did the same thing, always drinking natural teas and exercising...and she got Parkinson's ...but not the slow kind....the *rapidly progressing full blown symptoms in less than one year* kind.

I get it. There is always someone that has it worse. But just because there is always someone that has it worse...it doesn't make my personal cross any less painful !!!

And please don't tell me "God doesn't give you more than you can bare" ...if for just once, God would send an angel to sit by my bed at night and reassure me that God is with me...I would feel better.

But I feel nothing when I pray. I feel like I am talking to myself. I know this is a problem, and I directly ask God many times to help me renew my faith too...but :serious:

The fact that I am coming to this area of the forum with my problems means I am still open to God. I have not given up on him. I just feel...really low on faith now.

There's a Gospel concert tonight...I don't feel like going. I feel like it will be a waste of time. I never get anything out of Gospel music.


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## Kevin001 (Jan 2, 2015)

Being a christian is the hardest thing I've ever done. God never promised this life would be easy...its hard. But we have to realized all this is temporary, this physical life is just a vapor. Keep your eyes on Jesus and don't stress over stuff. Look at Job in the bible, great example of keeping the faith throughout suffering. 

The enemy wants you to doubt God and wants you to feel hopeless but just realize God loves you so much and how amazing it will be when you see Him .


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## VIncymon (Apr 16, 2009)

Kevin001 said:


> Being a christian is the hardest thing I've ever done. God never promised this life would be easy...its hard. But we have to realized all this is temporary, this physical life is just a vapor. Keep your eyes on Jesus and don't stress over stuff. Look at Job in the bible, great example of keeping the faith throughout suffering.
> 
> The enemy wants you to doubt God and wants you to feel hopeless but just realize God loves you so much and how amazing it will be when you see Him .


sigh. now my dad needs surgery too. It really would have been nice to have support from my gf at a time like this...but I guess I just have to go it on my own...and the inaudible voice of the God that supposedly is my comfort/strength). (A comfort that I can neither see/hear/nor feel isn't much comfort at all)


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## porter (Jan 22, 2016)

That was well said by Kevin and I would add that the suffering of God's people is a "token" of God's righteous judgment which qualifies them to be in His Kingdom. This might sound crazy, but count it all joy as the Scriptures would say! 

Maybe your faith is being tested, not because God wants to know what you will do, but to produce endurance in you. 

Here's a couple of verses to consider. 

Jas 1:2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, 
Jas 1:3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 
Jas 1:4 But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

2Th 1:3 We must always thank God for you, brothers, which is fitting, since your faith is flourishing, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. 
2Th 1:4 Therefore we ourselves boast about you among God's churches--about your endurance and faith in all the persecutions and afflictions you endure. 
2Th 1:5 It is a clear evidence of God's righteous judgment that you will be counted worthy of God's kingdom, for which you also are suffering

God's people must be baptized with "fire". Like a water baptism it's only natural for us to reach for the surface and get some air. This is where endurance comes in


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## Solomoon (Dec 29, 2017)

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33

Jesus didn't come to save the Jews from the Romans. You probably know this but I think it bears emphasis. Jesus came for people's souls, for their spirit, to connect them with God who "is Spirit" according to Jesus. It's in the spirit that we find Christ's peace. That inner peace can benefit us in the material world but God's frequency or dimension is primarily of spirit.

What helps me is to read spiritual books or listen to spiritual discourses. To try and focus my mind on that higher (or inner) dimension instead of on the "things of this world."


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## andy1984 (Aug 18, 2006)

it depends which faith. faith in ethics/utilitarianism is waning. but taoism has a more fundamental truth that is always there - what helps is to just read and contemplate, and to experience. experience is at the foundation of spirituality. you can't really lose that. i suppose christianity is different because its prescriptive. but still you should be able to focus on the underlying facts and feelings (experiences) - the reality behind the words. scripture and metaphysics is just the machine built on top of the real thing. it comes back to your personal relationship with god (or i guess that's something they say).


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## Ms kim (May 15, 2017)

I've had times in the past where I wondered if God would come through for me. But I never stopped believing in His existence, no matter how rough things got. And neither should you.

In Psalm 73 Asaph had similar issues. Asaph was envious of the success of others and depressed about his own situation. So its clear that God understand all you're going through. Don't give up on your faith in Him.


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## VIncymon (Apr 16, 2009)

i.....try.


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## hoddesdon (Jul 28, 2011)

Of course people who took a shorter career path (getting a job rather than going on to university, presumably) are better off in the short term. You have made an investment and will be ahead of them eventually, although there is no guarantee. You will also have an advantage in getting a job in future. I had the same experience seeing people whom I knew from school going around in suits while I was finding it hard to survive as a student. Some exceptions will have a special aptitude which means they will do really well without going to university. That is their good luck. In the end going to university is worthwhile. Short term disadvantages will pass.


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## Royals (Jul 20, 2012)

Paul says to 'rejoice in your suffering'. So to look past it. And not focus on it. And think about the good things God gives you and focus on His blessings and promises, what He will do in your life.


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