Our relationship with God

[Nessa]

Am I the only one here that struggles with their relationship with God?

My relationship with God feels non existant. Estranged or something worse

What helps you to develop a close relationship with God?

[Storyteller]

Nope, you're not the only one. I did, and still do sometimes.

What helps? Personally. A walk by the sea, sitting in an empty church, writing to Him. I know writing a letter to God may seem silly but I figure He can hear us so why can't He know what we write? Often, when I write, I feel Him or something comes to me, something that I was struggling with becomes clearer as I write.
The Mysteries make me feel close to God too. I read them often, normally with tears down my cheeks, ranging from grief and anger to wonder and love.

I am nowhere near as close to God as I want to be but I think thats part of the journey.

[theophilus]

My relationship with God feels non existant.

Our feelings aren't a reliable measurement of our relationship with God. I sometimes get depressed and feel that everyone, including God, has abandoned me. I have learned that this tendency to depression is the result of a defect in my physical makeup and that my relationship with God depends on his faithfulness, not on how I feel. God has promised, "I will not leave you or forsake you" and my feelings don't nullify this promise.

Another thing to remember is that doubts might come from an outside source. Satan sometimes manipulates our emotions to keep us from serving God effectively.

[EssentialSacrifice]

Nessa:
Am I the only one here that struggles with their relationship with God?
My relationship with God feels non existant. Estranged or something worse
What helps you to develop a close relationship with God?

If you are, ... you're the only one being truthful. Everyone has dry spells that can last for hours, days, weeks... Sister Theresa of Calcutta lived an entire life of service, kindness, love and generosity to the poorest of the poor in all the world ... and never once felt the consolation of/from God for the life she led. We can barely hold a candle to that woman's trials and tribulations but, as she, we must continue on while in the desert of our struggles. Perseverance is paramount. Keep on keeping on until the end and your reward will be waiting.

My personal prayer life with God is what has helped the most with that relationship. Prayer and meditation on His life (the Mysteries) and going to church to receive communion as often as possible.

[PaulSacramento]

I have noticed that there are times that God is not there for me.
I have also noted that those times are the times that I shut Him out, so...

Sometimes we don't have a personal relationship with God because we put Him too far "up and away" from Us.
That is why Christ came ( among other reasons), so that we can have a PERSONAL relationship with Him and Our Father.
But what does that mean?

Well, for me, it means that I speak to them regularly and by that I don't mean pray ( though I do that also), I mean actually talk to them all the time.
You can't have a personal relationship with Christ unless you make it personal.

[Storyteller]

I do that Paul, just talk to God. I think I always have, its just I used to think I was talking to myself.
I think, for me, I find it easier to write rather than talk as all my life I have read and written. I live in a world of written words.

Looking back I can see that a lot of the time when I've felt apart from God, it's been me not seeing rather than Him not being there.

[1over137]

Meet Jesus in New Testament

[abelcainsbrother]

I put on my favorite kind of praise and worship and Christian music and it helps to get me through in times when I feel stressed about things.I really like music and play the guitar too and I'll often put on music to jam to.Most of the time it does'nt take me long to figure out the chords to a song and I'll be jamming right along.I learned Third Day's song " cry out to Jesus" doing this.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VeGNgBwPTMA

[Philip]

My relationship with God feels non existant.

Our feelings aren't a reliable measurement of our relationship with God. I sometimes get depressed and feel that everyone, including God, has abandoned me.

This is such an important truth to learn: That our FEELINGS are often not an accurate guage of the reality of things, particularly as in regards to our relationship with God. As God has said He will NEVER forsake us, how meaningless is it when we don't seem to feel that CONSTANT truth? Our feelings are in a constant state of change. But God NEVER changes His love or how He views His children. Often, particularly when we know we've not been particularly stellar in our weakness and sinful behavior, we feel alone, wondering how God could ever love such a screwup. We must constantly understand that God doesn't think like a man. And that the devil loves to use our own inaccurate and defeated feelings to draw inaccurate conclusions about God's love, forgiveness, and constant love for us. The devil loves to encourage us to the belief that we are constantly earning God's love and forgiveness. Thus, when we screw up, he whispers, "You KNOW God has abandoned you due to your own pathetic behavior - and you know yourself well enough to realize that's pretty much the way it's always going to be for you, as you are helpless to change." So, don't view the truth of things through the lens of your feelings.

[Nessa]

My relationship with God feels non existant.

Our feelings aren't a reliable measurement of our relationship with God. I sometimes get depressed and feel that everyone, including God, has abandoned me.

This is such an important truth to learn: That our FEELINGS are often not an accurate guage of the reality of things, particularly as in regards to our relationship with God. As God has said He will NEVER forsake us, how meaningless is it when we don't seem to feel that CONSTANT truth? Our feelings are in a constant state of change. But God NEVER changes His love or how He views His children. Often, particularly when we know we've not been particularly stellar in our weakness and sinful behavior, we feel alone, wondering how God could ever love such a screwup. We must constantly understand that God doesn't think like a man. And that the devil loves to use our own inaccurate and defeated feelings to draw inaccurate conclusions about God's love, forgiveness, and constant love for us. The devil loves to encourage us to the belief that we are constantly earning God's love and forgiveness. Thus, when we screw up, he whispers, "You KNOW God has abandoned you due to your own pathetic behavior - and you know yourself well enough to realize that's pretty much the way it's always going to be for you, as you are helpless to change." So, don't view the truth of things through the lens of your feelings.

Theres a big difference between not being able to feel something sometimes and never being able to feel it at all....though its only been about 18 years...

[1over137]

Go visit Anette and enjoy with her the ocean and feel God there

[Storyteller]

Go visit Anette and enjoy with her the ocean and feel God there

You would be more than welcome as well Nessa, and you Hana. In fact any and all of you are.

[Nessa]

Go visit Anette and enjoy with her the ocean and feel God there

are you offering to pay for the plane ticket?