Can my faith be permanently damaged by my actions years ago?
Years ago when I was in college, i went out with someone who was not a Christian. He thought i blindly accepted my faith, and said I needed to question more rather than just accept. So, I started questioning, which turned to doubt, which distanced me from the Lord tremendously. Well, it is 20 years later and I am no longer with him. But that short relationship damaged my faith and now I live with that doubt every day. I know "faith comes through hearing, and hearing from the Word of God." I read the Word everyday, but my faith is still not there. I've asked God for forgiveness, but it feels like he's no longer with me. Can I have permanently wrecked my relationship with God because of what I did in college? It's breaking my heart and scaring me, too.
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Asked September 06 2014
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Anonymous
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Tony Shine
Romans 12:2 - And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 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. God is more forgiving, & loving, then we could ever dream to be! God desires nothing more from his children, then for them to receive, understand, & share his love! You may have turned your back on him, but he has never turned his back on you! You are asking for forgiveness, and that's a step, yes! But are you showing you are worthy of that forgiveness? Truly open your heart, mind, body & soul everyday to him! His answer will come forth, all in due time! Love is patient, love is kind, especially the love from our heavenly Father! Prayers are with you! God bless!
Emo Tenorio
In my humble opinion YES, if you now choose to allow bad decisions or actions from your past, govern your present and future time periods (you are looking BACKWARD friend). Mark 9:42 The deceptive seeds that were planted long ago have sidetracked you onto the path of doubt and guilt (fruits of the dark kingdom) repent and return to the correct path via God's Word to light your feet which always goes in a forward direction. Luke 8:18 Starting today use your lessons as you move forward, to help others that may have been deceived in various ways and become the threat to the enemy's kingdom that he fears! Psalm 84:10 Today by helping God's people in anyway you can, your putting what you've been reading all these years to work, which will take your mind off of your little problems first and rebuild your warrior's faith before you know it second. 1 Cor. 16:13 Thank you for your question friend as there are many among His people who are captives of their times past, finding it hard to step into what God has promised them for TODAY.. In the Lord's freedom all captives are freed...................warrior on
Lynn Willis
Doubt comes from satan, not God, and he used that boy to do exactly what he was mandated to do from the beginning: to lie, steal and destroy. 1 Peter 5:8: Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. If we let temptation in, we give the evil one a foothold and he then takes a stronghold. It's what he does, and he uses everything and anything to accomplish his goals, including people put in our paths to sway us from the just course of the truth of the Lord God Almighty. It is my view that those doubts you hold, those questions you have, give them up to the Lord. Ask Him to give you the word from scripture to deal with your doubts and find the answers. Just keep asking until He does! He doesn't mind that you ask, but you need to turn to Him to ask, not satan or others or even yourself. Jeremiah 29:12: Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. Matthew 7:7: "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. Revelation 3:20: Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. I think our faith is about more than just having faith and believing - I think it is about trust and mainly, enduring. About sticking it out through the tough times in faith in the Lord's will. To rely on the Lord in all things, and to trust in Him regardless of what the world, or satan, would say is the endurance test. To stand strong in the Word, and to take those 'slings and arrows' from others, like boys (or girls) you may be attracted to who challenge your faith. I don't think God minds scrutiny, because He Is Truth! John 18:23: Jesus answered him, "If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?" Ephesians 6: 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. If you turn to the Lord with a contrite heart, He will hear you, and answer you truthfully. It is your heart He will respond to, not your head. If you have a sincere desire to know Him, to find Him, let Him in. Proverbs 3: 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. 8 It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. Be strong in the Lord sister... for He knows you far better than you know yourself! One thing I do know is that if you have asked Him to forgive you in Jesus' name, He will and probably already has! He loves you more than words would ever be able to purvey. Trust in that to begin with and run with it! I have a feeling this period in your life will only serve to make your faith and relationship with our awesome God that much stronger! This my hope and prayer for you. Blessings, in HIM, Lynn
Chris Eleam
Jehovah is the final Judge of wrongdoers. Indeed, all of us must render an account to him, and he always does what is right. (Genesis 18:25; Romans 14:12) Jehovah determines whether we have committed an unforgivable sin, and he can withdraw his spirit from us. (Psalm 51:11) However, if we are deeply grieved over a sin we have committed, it is very likely that we are truly repentant. What, though, is genuine repentance? 4 To repent means that we change our attitude toward past or intended wrongdoing. It means that we feel sorrow or regret and turn away from a sinful course. If we have sinned seriously but have taken the necessary steps to show that we have really repented, we can draw comfort from the psalmist’s words: “He [Jehovah] has not done to us even according to our sins; nor according to our errors has he brought upon us what we deserve. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, his loving-kindness is superior toward those fearing him. As far off as the sunrise is from the sunset, so far off from us he has put our transgressions. As a father shows mercy to his sons, Jehovah has shown mercy to those fearing him. For he himself well knows the formation of us, remembering that we are dust.”—Psalm 103:10-14. Comforting, too, are the apostle John’s words: “By this we shall know that we originate with the truth, and we shall assure our hearts before him as regards whatever our hearts may condemn us in, because God is greater than our hearts and knows all things. Beloved ones, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have freeness of speech toward God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we are observing his commandments and are doing the things that are pleasing in his eyes.”—1 John 3:19-22. 6 We “know that we originate with the truth” by the fact that we display brotherly love and do not make a practice of sinning. (Psalm 119:11) If we feel condemned for some reason, we do well to remember that “God is greater than our hearts and knows all things.” Jehovah shows us mercy because he is aware of our “unhypocritical brotherly affection,” our battle against sin, and our efforts to do his will. (1 Peter 1:22) Our heart will “not condemn us” if we trust in Jehovah, display brotherly love, and are not guilty of practicing deliberate sin. We will have “freeness of speech toward God” in prayer, and he will answer us because we observe his commandments.
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