So a while back I was attending a retreat for Christian and one of the Catholic priest was talking to us.

And the story he told us was this (paraphrasing it):

A pastor, who rejected Catholicism passed away. When his soul reached heaven Mary came down to hug him and welcome him. And the pastor asked why she was hugging him when he lived his life telling others not to venerate her.

She replied : because the pastor loved her son above everything else.

I have seen so many members of the Christian community divided among themselves and trying to argue who is the real Christian.

If you are more worried about whether your faith is the real way then aren't you just being performative.

It really doesn't matter whether you are a Catholic, protestant or orthodox.

As long as you believe Jesus Christ is the only saviour and you follow the two commandments that have been given to you, which are (love God above everything and love everyone else as much as yourself). It's simple but difficult commandment. Something we all struggle with. Because to love God and others we must be able to let go of the things that make you part of society.

I was wrongfully terminated in December for requesting religious accommodation for Sabbath. I'm attempting to go through the EEOC for all of that, but it's getting nowhere. I still haven't been able to secure a full time job and we're barely making it week to week. I go for interviews, but all employers want me to work a schedule that'd violate Sabbath. We observe the Sabbath on Saturdays. What jobs do you guys have that accommodate the practice?

Why do people post things in r/TrueChristian seem designed to damage other people's faith in God or start arguments? Maybe the community reinforces their beliefs. For me, seeing these posts makes me feel hopeless and makes salvation seem extremely difficult or impossible, while the people making those posts seem to think they're spiritually ‘in the good.

There is still a battle that we must overcome in this life, empowered by the Holy Spirit, our strength in victory so that we may inherit the promise.

If perseverance of the saints were true, the New Testament authors and Christ himself didnt get the memo. Here is the truth laid bare.

“But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.”

— Revelation 2:4–5

18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.

19 I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first.

20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.

21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality.

22 Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works,

23 and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.”

— Revelation 2:18–23

Hence why Christ warns genuine believers to return to their proper state of being if perseverance of the saints were true; how is it possible that these beleivers abandoned the faith they had at first?

“For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God you may receive the promise.” — Hebrews 10:36

Again, why are belivers being told they have need of endurance if faith necessarily produces endurance?

2 Peter 1:5–10 — “make every effort,” “be diligent”

Why make every effort if the faith you expressed at first was the end-all, be-all?

1 Peter 5:8–9:

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.”

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” — Ephesians 6:11

Why is Satan still presented as a genuine threat to believers? If indeed perseverance of the saints were true, this would be nonsensical.

“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called…”

— 1 Timothy 6:12

What is there to fight for or take hold of? It's already been done, as they say...

7 “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.
8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

— Galatians 6:7–9

There is clearly a sense in which giving up is a real possibility in Paul's mind; this is incompatible with the doctrine of perseverance of the saints. Furthermore, Paul warns the belivers not to sow to the flesh, which shouldn't be possible under this framework.

These verses only scratch the surface; there are hundreds of verses that directly fly in the face of this doctrine, and I'd wish Christians would start to take the scriptures seriously and revolt agaisnt the false doctrines that infiltrated and seduced the Churches.

Why do Protestants affirm the Nicene Creed if it affirms baptism forgives sin? As Protestants, we believe water doesn't take away sin. And what about the Catholic Church?

Where is Scripture stating baptism grants forgiveness?

The Nicene Creed

I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made.

For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.

He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.

(I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.)

(I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins) and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.

Amen.

So I’ve been feeling more and more lately that the divide between Catholics and Protestants isn’t as wide as I thought. One of my closest friends is Catholic and he’s given me a lot of really great insight into what Catholics believe and practice. I agree with a lot of the things he brings up if I’m being honest. I’ve grown up non denominational and was also told that Catholics have strange practices that don’t line up with scripture. From a distance I can understand why someone would say that, but once I had a handful of great conversations with my friend, I slowly started to realize we are a lot closer than I once thought. For example, (I’m giving a very rough summary of these ideas I know they get a lot more complex) Catholics believe it’s faith and good works that get you to heaven, Protestants believe good works is the result of your faith and your faith gets you to heaven. In both school of thought it’s faith, work and salvation all linked together, we just have different ways of phrasing it. I’ve been going to a catholic mass for the past several months and prior to that I was going to a non denomination, I love both of them and feel they both have areas that really shine. Does anyone else feel this way? Also I feel like my orthodox brothers and sisters probably have a lot of the same beliefs that’s I hold I just didn’t speak on that side because I frankly don’t know a lot about it yet.

I haven't thought hard about it until now, maybe I didn't but whatever, I say this because of my problems, like I frequently get an astmatic attack so frequent, I kinda loose some sleep over it though it is on me in some way still though, not to mention how horrible I'm doing academically, I legitimately can't do any form of math that isn't from fith grade, and knowing my mom and dad had me and my sister before marriage I think I'm their punishment sent from God and it makes me feel so insignificant such a failure am i

Though I wouldn't also say failure completely I am wanting to learn coding and so I am learning but other then that I cause so much problems to my parents, I do horrible decisions, I have horrible medical problems, one that can lead to cancer and a respiratory one I want to think I'm.not made to just punish my parents but so much of me seems to point to that aaahhh

I think there is a fundamental misunderstanding that is not about any one thing, but about lots of things, details.

I notice that so many people are worried about trivial details, like there are rules on behavior that you must worry about whether you technically broke or not. Ridiculous things like whether reading Harry Potter is bad.

I suspect that what we are supposed to do or not do is not the point. It is about the type person we are or become.

Consider the commandment to not murder. What is the difference between murder and killing? Justice. Not technical details about an explicit rule, nor some difference in action. The difference is a more fundamental and spiritual thing, the purpose behind the killing, that is the difference.

I suspect all the rules are similar.

I suspect that a couple gay guys in the neighborhood who keep it to themselves and otherwise act neighborly are not a problem, but pride parades and celebrating gayness is a problem.

I suspect that occasional woman in the workplace or women voting is not a problem, but feminists who say equality but push for matriarchy and favoritism to women is the problem. I know many woman who are decent and able to work without getting inflated expectations, but at the scale of society there are trends that are bad, such as the expectations women as a whole have that are absurd.

I think that worrying about details, about specific actions taken should be left to conscience without fear of getting it wrong, but rather we should worry about whether are morals are in the right place, whether our habits are correct, whether our motivations are healthy, etc.

Not a legalistic view of technicalities of rules as procedures, but of motivation and aim.

I think part of the reason for this misconception is complexity.

When Einstein figured out Relativity, even other scientists had trouble understanding, and some never understood even after hours with Einstein himself. It is folly to think that the common individual understands it. Now imagine trying to teach it to people in the ancient world.

I think that likewise, the people in the ancient world had things put to them in a way they could somewhat understand and try to figure out rather than something that is clear yet so far beyond their understanding that it be clear as mud and thus give them bo path at all.

Yet now things have become fossilized, with a childish view and no progression to higher understanding.

Consider the history written in the bible, yet we have not added to it in 2,000 years, why?

Just something to consider.

It’s one of the most predictable institutional self-inflicted wounds in modern church historyand nowhere is it clearer than in Mainline Protestantism and liberal Anglicanism:

​The Strategy: "If we update our theology, ditch counter-cultural doctrines, and align perfectly with secular ethics, young people will flock through our doors."

​The Reality: Empty pews, an average congregation age pushing 70, and rapid demographic collapse across the Episcopal Church, PCUSA, and the Church of England.

​The fundamental flaw in the Mainline and liberal Anglican approach was assuming people were avoiding church because Christian orthodoxy was too distinct from the surrounding culture. In reality, people avoid dead churches because they offer nothing distinct from the culture.

Matthew 27:46: "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"

Jesus hung on the cross from. 12pm to 3pm. He began with the words, "My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me!" From those words many say, "see there , Jesus doubted!" But in saying these words, they show there err. Matthew 22:29.

Many when they think of King David, they think King of Israel or his battle with Goliath. They never think, "Prophet David." But as stated in the book of Acts, he was very much a prophet of God.

Acts 2:29–30 (KJV): "Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;"

David prophesied 1000 yrs before the crucifixion in Psalm 22, the exact events that occurred in AD 33.

Jesus, while suffering, was teaching them:

The root word ‘asah is the exact same word used in Genesis 2:3 when God rested from all the work that He had "made" (completed). The Connection to "It is Finished"When Jesus cried out "It is finished" (Tetelestai in Greek) in John 19:30, He was offering the Greek equivalent of this final Hebrew word from Psalm 22. By starting His crucifixion quoting Psalm 22:1 ("My God, my God, why have you forsaken me") and ending it with the concept of Ki ‘Asah, (it is finished.) Showing for those 3 hrs he taught the entire 22nd psalm.

And that's not all he taught:

Teaching on Forgiveness: "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). He lived out His own sermon on loving your enemies.Teaching on Grace.

To the criminal next to Him, He said, "To day shalt thou be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43). He taught that salvation is available to anyone who repents, even at the very last moment.

Teaching on familyly and responsibilities, he looked at His mother and the apostle John, saying, "Woman, behold thy son!" and "Behold thy mother!" (John 19:26-27). Even while dying, He taught the importance of honoring parents and caring for one another.

Teaching on Absolute Trust: His final breath was, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit" (Luke 23:46), teaching believers that once you leave this flesh body your spirit goes back to him who gave it.

At 3pm as the high priest Caiaphas (ordained by the Roman Government, not God) was about to enter the Holy of Holies, God tore the veil from top to bottom opening to whomsoever believath The very man that screamed, "Crucify Him!" In the beginning. God spoke through him with these final words, "Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not." (John 11:50.)

Unable to explain all the details and the ins and outs of the situation in its entirety, but am hoping to get some guidance and clarity regarding a voice heard speaking clearly many years ago and more recently. The experience began years back but has reached a critical point recently.

Are there some people/situations where God needs to be very direct, blunt and straight forward?

I do believe that God can and at times does speak to individuals personally. I understand that not every voice is of God. Would God say something such as; "you had your chance", "you can't have your way" etc?

Without giving the context of the situation it may be a challenge to determine whether a voice heard would be God or not. Uncertain of what I have been hearing as the source. It is always accurate in what is spoken, even in regard to events or situations that are far ahead into the future.

At 46 and 51 with 2 innocent kids as a family we are waiting for a clear direction from God. Life has brought us to a stage where even if God says clearly that you cannot be blessed or I cannot give you a direction because you did this and that and you did not obey me. Fine. That's how it is we will accept and understand that God is angry and He will never talk or direct. But what to do when God is silent and I am not just talking a week back for a month back or a year back its been like this for like maybe since 2020. Obviously God created us so He knows we are humans and our patience level is way below and ofcourse our waiting may not be in par with what he wants us to wait. but hello we have a life to lead and decisions to take and money to earn so just because God is not speaking or giving clear directions we just wait?? Well we apparently did not wait and made some decisions which we had to because it was getting difficult and man the move the shift was terrible but we said its ok and things will eventually calm down but now its become a situation like from the frying pan into the fire and we acknowledged that God we are sorry we may have not waited for your direction but can you please please forgive us and guide us what to do and all we get is SILENCE. I mean does God expect us to live our lives in frustration? I don't understand God if he wants to break us so much why does he make us happy and give us all the luxury things and when we start enjoying all of those things in life and mind you WE are acknowledging this every way that all that we got and enjoy is because of GOD ALONE. Neither me nor husband took one percent credit and as we think and start weaving dreams that hey God is on our side and He will fulfill the desires of our heart bang comes the BLOW on BLOW and then there is Silence. I am often reminded of Job, Daniel and David and Abraham all went through it but my question is did they have innocent lives looking at them? Did they all day just sit and mourn and cry out and pray without having to work or search for work? Did their food on the table just drop from heaven above and they ate and again got back to mourning and praying and crying? were their house rent paid for magically? I know I am making no sense to some of you WHO KNOW GOD better than anyone else but aren't these questions valid how does God expect a person to continue wanting to live life and pray and wait for a direction when there are so many things to look at RENT, NO STABLE JOB or INCOME, DEPENDENTS TO LOOK AFTER? I have come to a point in my life where though I am a christian and I listen to sermons on and off I feel God is selective in His choice when He wants How He wants He will do it that's not the problem the problem is we have GROWN UP being told depend on GOD HE WILL ANSWER YOU AND GUIDE AND PROVIDE and when you START DOING THAT YOU realize heck .. I am ALL ALONE. My heathen friends and acquaintances are doing way more better than from where we started. I am not even talking of Non Christians I am talking of Christians who love to show the world they know all about Christianity from bottom to top but inside are all FAKE and worse than non believers. I am tired fed up and don't anymore want to pray but I am a helpless beggar who is she doesn't beg will not get that 5 cents to even purchase bread so all I am doing God is begging for a breakthrough I am not asking for MIILIONS or MANSION or DESIGNER CLOTHES I am only asking for direction - Knowing that I will land in Hell I have reached a point where I am okto do anything just to make sure things move in life. Someone please pray for me even if this entire situation seems silly and not understandable.

Before I start I should note that I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

The first obsession that I will start with started after I realized that I should go back while I thinking about the Holy Spirit and after I got off of a boat while thinking about the Holy Spirit. If I were to see anything remotely related to the number three, then I would say something like "That is not in reference to the Most Holy Trinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. That is not in reference to the Most Holy Trinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." If I were to see something related to a spirit that is not the Holy Spirit then I would say "That is not in reference to the Holy Spirit, That is not in reference to the Holy Spirit. That is not in reference to the Spirit of God. That is not in reference to the Spirit of God. That is not in reference to the Spirit. That is not in reference to the Spirit. That is not in reference to the Spirit of the Lord. That is not in reference to the Spirit of the Lord." If I were see something related to a ghost that is not the Holy Ghost, then I would say "That is not in reference to the Holy Ghost. That is not in reference to the Holy Ghost. Just ignore the blasphemous thoughts to the Holy Ghost" (When I have blasphemous thoughts to the Holy Spirit, then I say "Just ignore the blasphemous thoughts to the Holy Spirit. Just ignore the blasphemous thoughts to the Holy Spirit.") "Just ignore the blasphemous thoughts the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost whom thou didst sent on Whitsunday. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. I am not going to the appendix of the phrases that use the name of the Holy Spirit."

The second obsession that I have is that if I were to do anything related to the Holy Spirit, then I would try not to get any new memories, not to talk, and not to get any knowledge.

The Third obsession is an older one. When my mind says "Jesus is Lord" then I would say "Jesus is Lord. I am saying a name for the Holy Spirit. Jesus is Lord. I am saying a name for the Holy Spirit."

My scrupulosity then says that other objects that are not lord are lord in order to make me say "That is not Lord, Jesus is Lord" twice, which then makes me say "Jesus is Lord" then I would say "Jesus is Lord. I am saying a name for the Holy Spirit. Jesus is Lord. I am saying a name for the Holy Spirit."

I will end with my fourth obsession because I do not want people to not see this. Most of the time when I think of any prayer related to the Holy Spirit then I would think of that prayer that is related to the Holy Spirit in my head, then I would say that prayer that is related to the Holy Spirit out loud.

After I say that prayer that is related to the Holy Spirit out loud, then if that prayer that is related to the Holy Spirit would be done in my head if I were to ever think about the prayer that is related to the Holy Spirit.

Heyyy!!! I'm a boy.. 19 years old and I'm new into christianity. I'm was a complete atheïst, but now I'm reading the bible I pray etc, but I find it difficult.. can you help me?

I feel just... empty,stressed, not hungry,ignored, left out, alone and not excepted in this world and I want to find God really bad.. can anyone help me please??

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (KJV)

Jesus never promised His followers an easy life.

He never said that following Him would eliminate disappointment.

He never promised that people wouldn't hurt us, finances would always work out, relationships would never become difficult, or painful seasons wouldn't come.

In fact, Jesus told His disciples exactly the opposite:

“In the world ye shall have tribulation.”

Not might.

Shall.

Trouble is part of living in a fallen world.

But thankfully, Jesus didn't end the sentence there.

He continued:

“But be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

That's where Christian hope begins.

Jesus Didn't Hide the Reality of Suffering Sometimes we mistakenly believe that if we're walking closely enough with God, everything should start becoming easier.

But Scripture doesn't teach that.

Jesus prepared His disciples for hardship.

“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” John 15:18 (KJV)

The apostles experienced rejection, persecution, imprisonment, loss, and suffering.

Following Jesus doesn't mean avoiding every storm.

It means discovering who is with you in the storm.

Christianity isn't God's promise that nothing difficult will happen.

It's the assurance that our difficulties do not have the final word.

Jesus does.

“Be of Good Cheer” Doesn't Mean Pretending It Doesn't Hurt When Jesus says, “be of good cheer,” He isn't telling us to pretend suffering isn't painful.

Christian joy isn't denial.

There are times to grieve.

There are times to cry.

There are times when life genuinely hurts.

Jesus Himself wept.

But pain doesn't have to become the ruler of our hearts.

Our circumstances may affect our emotions, but they don't have to become the foundation of our hope.

That's why Jesus begins John 16:33 by saying:

“...that in me ye might have peace.”

Notice where peace is found.

Not in circumstances.

Not in people.

Not in money.

Not in everything going according to plan.

“In me.”

Our peace is found in Christ.

Who Are You Becoming While You're Going Through It? Sometimes we're so focused on asking God to change our circumstances that we never stop to ask what is happening inside us while we're waiting.

It's easy to say:

“You don't understand what I'm going through.”

And perhaps the person standing in front of you doesn't.

But suffering doesn't give us permission to become cruel.

Pain doesn't justify treating people poorly.

Disappointment doesn't give us permission to live in bitterness.

Trials don't excuse abandoning our walk with Christ.

So perhaps alongside:

“Lord, when will You change this?”

we should sometimes pray:

“Lord, what are You producing in me through this?”

James writes:

“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.” James 1:2–3 (KJV)

The trial may be doing something we cannot immediately see.

Don't Let Trouble Turn Into Bitterness Hardship can expose things already living beneath the surface.

Fear.

Anger.

Pride.

Impatience.

Self-reliance.

Bitterness.

And when those things surface, we have a choice.

We can feed them.

Or we can bring them to Christ.

Hebrews warns:

“Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you...” Hebrews 12:15 (KJV)

Be careful what takes root during difficult seasons.

What happened to you matters.

But so does what is happening within you.

Don't allow somebody else's sin to become an excuse for your own.

Don't allow disappointment to convince you that God has abandoned you.

Don't allow suffering to slowly harden your heart toward Christ.

Bring the hurt to Him.

Your Joy Has a Stronger Foundation Why can Jesus tell suffering disciples to be of good cheer?

He gives the answer:

“I have overcome the world.”

That's the foundation.

Christian joy isn't:

“Everything is going wonderfully.”

It's:

“Jesus has overcome.”

Christian peace isn't:

“Nothing bad can happen to me.”

It's:

“Whatever happens, I belong to Christ.”

Christian hope isn't:

“My life will eventually unfold exactly how I planned.”

It's:

“My Savior has conquered, and my future is secure in Him.”

That's a peace circumstances cannot manufacture and circumstances cannot ultimately destroy.

The Cross Looked Like Defeat When Jesus spoke the words of John 16:33, the cross was approaching.

Soon His disciples would watch Him be arrested.

Beaten.

Mocked.

Crucified.

Killed.

From their perspective, it would appear that everything had gone terribly wrong.

But the cross wasn't the defeat of Jesus.

It was part of His victory.

Jesus willingly gave His life.

And three days later, He rose from the grave.

That's why our confidence isn't wishful thinking.

Our hope is anchored in our risen Savior.

The Gospel: Jesus Has Overcome The greatest trouble humanity faces isn't financial hardship, broken relationships, sickness, disappointment, or difficult circumstances.

Our greatest problem is sin.

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3:23 (KJV)

Every one of us has sinned against a holy God.

And sin has consequences.

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23 (KJV)

We couldn't rescue ourselves.

Good works couldn't erase our guilt.

Religion couldn't make us righteous.

So God came to us.

Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, lived the righteous life we could never live.

Then:

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (KJV)

Jesus took our sins upon Himself at the cross.

He died.

He was buried.

And on the third day, He rose again.

He conquered sin and death.

And salvation is offered to everyone who turns to Him in repentance and faith.

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Romans 10:9 (KJV)

This is why Jesus can say:

“I have overcome the world.”

Our hope isn't that we'll somehow become strong enough to overcome everything ourselves.

Our hope is in the One who has already overcome.

A Call to Repentance Maybe suffering has been revealing something in your heart.

Maybe you've become bitter.

Maybe you've been taking your frustration out on everyone around you.

Maybe disappointment has caused you to distance yourself from God.

Maybe you've been trusting your circumstances more than Christ.

Bring it to Him.

Repentance doesn't mean pretending your pain isn't real.

It means refusing to allow your pain to become permission for sin.

Tell God the truth.

“Lord, this hurts.”

“Lord, I'm angry.”

“Lord, I'm disappointed.”

“Lord, I'm struggling.”

And then surrender it.

Ask Him to keep your heart tender.

Ask Him to help you forgive.

Ask Him to produce patience.

Ask Him to keep you faithful.

Ask Him to make you more like Christ even here.

Don't Waste the Trial Maybe the question isn't only:

“How do I get out of this?”

Maybe another question is:

“Who am I becoming while I'm in this?”

Is the trial pushing you toward Jesus or away from Him?

Is it producing greater dependence upon God?

Is it teaching you to pray?

Is it revealing where you've been placing your security?

Is it exposing something that needs to be surrendered?

Don't assume every hardship was specifically sent by God to teach you a lesson. We live in a broken world, and suffering has many causes.

But whatever its cause, God can meet you in it and work through it.

Conclusion: The Trouble Is Real, But So Is Jesus You may be walking through something difficult right now.

Don't minimize it.

Don't pretend it doesn't hurt.

But don't give your trouble more authority than your Savior.

Your finances may change.

People may disappoint you.

Plans may collapse.

Doors may close.

There may be seasons you never expected to walk through.

Jesus already told us:

“In the world ye shall have tribulation.”

But don't stop reading there.

“...but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (KJV)

The trouble is real.

But so is Jesus.

The pain is real.

But so is His grace.

The trial is real.

But so is His peace.

The battle is real.

But so is His victory.

Don't let what you're going through determine who you're becoming. Keep your eyes on Christ. Keep walking with Him. Keep trusting Him. And when the world gives you trouble, remember: your Savior has already overcome the world.

to make the long story somewhat short, i (22f) have a not so great relationship with my parents and it’s been like that all my life.

i was planning on moving out last year, but my parents took me off their health insurance and stopped doing taxes so i don’t receive any aid for school. ig it’s fine but bills are pretty heavy now bc i can’t work as much as i would like due to school taking up majority of my time. most of the time i only have $20 in my account after paying my bills. sometimes i do go negative tho. this is all without being moved out so i’m unsure how to manage if i do have to move out.

almost everyday my dad is complaining or yelling at me about something. i just bought a walking pad to help with my pre diabetes. when it delivered, he called me at work bc he was mad since he thought i’d keep the walking pad in the living room. i told him that it’s going in my room so i can use it while studying. when i got home, i noticed that it wasn’t in the spot where we usually put mail so i asked him where it was. he told me that he put it in my room and he’s the type to put mail on my bed but i don’t like that bc there have been times where the mail has been dirty and it left a dirt mark on my bed. while knowing that fact, i asked “did you put it on my bed”. he looked at me and was like “you have a floor don’t you” and rolled his eyes. from then on he’s been spam texting me about how he hates living with me and that he keeps it short with me bc of how i act. the only thing i do nowadays is go to school, work, and gym. i’m barely ever home now. there have been other times where he’s thrown away my food and lied about it. i have a TON of other stories but those are just two.

it’s hard bc i want to control my wrath but i can feel myself wanting to explode. i do unfortunately talk back to him to correct whatever false narrative he’s telling other people bc he’s always talking bad about me to everyone. 80% of the time i’ll be in the room but, if i’m not in the room, he’ll talk very loud so i can hear it. he even went up to my boyfriend and told him about how “bad of a car owner i am and he shouldn’t be helping me so i can learn my lesson” bc my battery died and my dad thought it was wrong of him to be helping me.

i just don’t know what to do. as of currently he’s arguing with me over a text of me saying that i can’t stand how he’s always yelling at me…. and this message was from 2024 but he keeps saying that he treats me like this bc of this message.

i’m bringing this here bc i want to go about this in a way that keeps Jesus at the center. i don’t feel comfortable posting this elsewhere bc i don’t want to be led to wrath or resentment towards him.

I've been a "Christian" all my life and while I think deep down I believe, at least to an extent, there's this disconnect between me and God and the Christian life that has been there always as well. This past year I've been searching for God or a sense of understanding and peace but no matter what I've tried, I don't feel even remotely close to connecting. I've maintained some bad habits but I have tried to repent but that never works. I've tried surrender and praying for true surrender but that hasn't happened either. Every day I'm stressed about something to the point it makes me depressed and I turn away from God even more. I've asked God for solutions and help but I feel I'm in the desert. I heard someone tell me my lack of peace and progress comes from the fact I'm not Born Again. If this is true, how can I become Born Again truly so I can finally find peace and surrender in my life?

I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father (and the Son),
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

If you disagree with any of it, then how is it the defining line in the sand of whether you are a Christian or not? I ask this because, by necessity, some denomination have to reject the last paragraph.

In James it states if you don’t know what to do and you need wisdom; ask and it will be given to you if you actually believe it will.

I am so incredibly frustrated with God lately. I have been feeling so irritable, cold and angry with people. I can’t pin down why. I wish the Lord would just show me what is causing it so I can work on it.

So I’ve been talking to this great guy for the last few weeks. He’s caring, emotionally mature, handsome, so sweet, he always makes me feel good about myself and so much more. We instantly connected the moment we met. I prayed to God to speak to me about if he is someone I should pursue and I feel like God has given me multiple signs to go for it however I recently found out the guy I like doesn’t believe in God. I don’t even know if this is right subreddit to post in (sorry to the mods if this is the wrong one) or if there is a Christian relationship subreddit I should be posting in either way I don’t know what to do.

Edit(I realized I should’ve added this up here and not at the bottom) : Okay you all have made valid points and yes being equally yoked is extremely important I guess I’m just a little disappointed. He seems like such a great guy and he’s been very understanding of me refraining from sex until marriage, he respects my beliefs etc but like I said the disappointment is there. I was hoping this relationship would be different and what’s crazy is that I wasn’t even looking for a relationship but we met each other, started talking and we instantly clicked. I asked him about going to church with me one day and he basically told me that he wouldn’t. I couldn’t really ask about it, it was late we both were tired so we just said our goodnights and went to bed. I want to talk about it more with him today but I’m not sure how to go about it.

I asked Jesus to save me on nov 20, 2010. I've had a lot of ups and downs in my walk with Christ Jesus, all my own fault. I'm just worried of being one of the ones that Jesus turns away after they say that they did works in His name. I repost a lot of christian reels on instagram hoping that it'll touch the heart of one of my followers. Would that be considered fruit?

As a 23 year old man, I have the strongest desire in my life than ever before to spread the good news but Im just not sure how I can get through to people when so many people in this world have hardened hearts.

I want everyone to know and understand that the love that Jesus Christ offers is something every soul not just wants, but needs. We need Jesus just as much as our lungs need air to breathe. But most people I talk to just don’t comprehend or understand that.

He has changed my life and is continuing to mold me into the person I need to be. He gives a peace the world can’t give to us.

Satan is deceiving so many every single day in this chaotic world and it makes my soul sad to see other souls lost. I want as many people to know that their true spiritual peace can be found in the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.
Jesus Christ is the name above all names and Im proud to say it!

I've been trying to submit and follow God's plan lately and I've asked him to prepare me and ready me for whatever the next season will bring, which I'm not certain will be pretty, actually kinda the opposite. Maybe it's my caffeine intake or something, but I feel really emotionally downcast at the moment. Could this be God preparing for the future being filled with pain and him teaching me how to deal with it?

I got saved a little over 1 year ago but have neglected reading my Bible tbh.

I’ve struggled with cptsd, ocd, depression, self hatred and anxiety disorder all my life and I’m in a really dark place right now.

God has blessed me with a wonderful, loving husband but my mental illness makes it hard for me to fully commit. I‘m scared to my core of hurting or disappointing him and I think about leaving because of this.

I started grabbing my Bible more often and I actually want to stick to reading and journaling daily. It’s actually my last straw tbh since therapy and medication haven’t done too much for me.

Has it helped you with mental illness and general life quality? Do you have any tips on how specifically you’ve journaled? I was thinking about a gratitude type journal. And just writing down Bible verses that give me hope.

I really hope there is light