Conversations with God

[Filmmaker]

Before I got sick, I used to pray everyday, I was a firm believer in God no matter what! I used to talk to him every day, laugh with him, anyway...
Since I got sick, I said oh ok, this is my test in life, but seriously I find it very very unfair, to teh point where I started questionning: God, if you exist how can you allow this to happen to me now?! What did I do to deserve this?
I don't try to hide that this diease has truly led me to question y faith and to this day, I don't have any answer, maybe once I'm I will, maybe not...
Three months ago, I saw my dearest aunt die from cancer, in my arms, this was the most difficult thing I went through in y life, suddenly she was totally gone, no more reaction... that was death... I stayed in the room with her for hours, I felt like she was still there, only asleep, but she was not. I was watching her and wondering, where is she now? Has she ever existed? This was very weird, and again, I don't have any answer...
So how do YOU still believe in God or in life after death? What proof do we have except books that humans can have wirtten?

 

[notgivnup]

Filmmaker, Most of your why's will not be answered in this life. But as for after death, there is life. How I know is from person experience. I can not give to you what I experienced but only know that I believed by pure and simple Faith before, now I Know. It is your choice to believe or not in a creator who has a plan for us all, and an advesary trying to keep us from the truth. I believe if you look deep inside yourself you will find He is still there and talking to you in that still small voice. I Pray He reveal Himself to you. {{HUG}}

 

[Ms. Pie]

We live, we die. That's the deal.

 

[LizT]

My PALS used to get mad when people would say "why you?!" He'd always respond- "why NOT me?"

 

[Tokahfang]

I think we get in trouble when we try to define stuff for God. The disciples asked Jesus who sinned this fellow blind, this blind guy himself or his parents, in full faith that it obviously had to be one of those two things. His answer started with "neither". He stands outside of time, and our perspective is limited both personally and culturally.

I realise you can't mean your question literally, because that wouldn't allow for any history to be trustworthy at all, nor events that happen outside your line of sight. So I'm answering it the way I think you meant it. I'm also answering it assuming you're looking for why I believe in God as portrayed by christianity, if you meant a different religion this won't make much sense.

For me, it's not so much what the apostles wrote. It's what they did. I could buy that maybe one or two really pig headed people would be willing to die for a story they made up. I can't believe that all of them would, without exception, and for no perceivable reward. Looking at the history of it, during the period between Jesus' death and Pentecost, SOMETHING happened. Something completely changed those men. Somehow they went from cowards to men of boldness, and that boldness did not desert them even unto death. And that something kept a seemingly loser, useless religion thriving through hundreds of years, waves of persecutions, until Constantine. The answer they left us was that Jesus rose from the dead, ascended, and sent the Holy Spirit. If they are wrong, I am wrong, but in great company!

It's ok to grieve. Jesus wept at Lazarus' grave, and he knew he was going to resurrect him shortly. Death is terrible, and our religion doesn't require us to be happy-clappy about it. But it's response is that God came, lived as a man, and took on the full brunt of that terrible thing himself. He didn't leave us alone to it. When Corinthians says "Death, where is thy sting?" it is after it describes the mass resurrection... right now death still has a sting!

Yet even now we can celebrate Easter, even before we see it's final effects. For indeed, "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!" In the meantime, sometimes the best we can do is cling to our scraps of faith and try not to put words in God's mouth. Perspective is coming, and the life of the world to come.

 

[Ms. Pie]

Great post Beky!

 

[VoiceforLinda]

Well said Beky, I wish I could put my thoughts and knowledge into words like that. Faith, it is the substance of things not seen not heard.
Linda

 

[kiwisally]

I wish I could put my thoughts and knowledge into words like that.

You just did Linda.

Faith, it is the substance of things not seen not heard.
Linda

And it answers his question

"So how do YOU still believe in God or in life after death?"

PERFECTLY......Faith......

 

[Toto's Dorothy]

Beky,
Beautiful words from a beautiful lady.

 

[Annie's Phil]

May I add to the good things already said that there is the witness of the Holy Spirit within us. He doesn't yell - Satan and his demonic forces do that. His sweet Spirit speaks in a "still small voice", bearing witness to our spirit. Satan attempts to drown out the Lord's sweet, calm, quiet voice with loud shouts of "Did God really say...?"

A sampling of Scripture passages:

For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. (Ro 8:15-17)

Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “ Abba! Father!” (Gal 4:6)

For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness.( Gal 5:5)

And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying,...(Heb 10:15)

By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. (1 Jn 4:13)

It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. (1 Jn 5:5)

Then there are these haunting words from the Master Himself: "I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (Lk 18:8)

We are all having our faith tested. And we are assured of the value of tested, proven faith: "In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Pet 1:6-7)

Think of it - the only time in our existence that we will be able to live by faith is now, here upon the earth. When our bodies die and we are with the Lord, we shall see Him, and "hope that is seen is not hope." And the only thing that we can ever do to please God is to trust Him: "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." (Heb 11:6)

So hard as they are, the trials we are given down here are actually a gift from God to enable us to be rewarded for doing the only thing that He requires of us - to simply believe Him. It is hard, hard, hard - but think of the pleasure that God has in watching us calmly, confidently look up to Him and listen intently to His voice (My sheep hear my voice..), all the while Satan is yelling at us trying to drown out the voice of our Shepherd. Let us, by the power of the almighty Spirit of God within us, refuse to give him our attention. What great victory that gives God!

Grace and peace to all.

 

[Filmmaker]

Thanks everyone for your words of wisdom, I still have a very hard time with this "unfair" destiny... I agree with the "why NOT me", but still, I'm ok with death I'm just not ok with the loss of function... I guess i should read Job again...Notgvnup, how do you KNOW? I'd love to know too

 

[notgivnup]

Job is a good one to put things in perspective for us. I tried to pm you, but can't. My story is Stores of hope, Does God and Heaven exsist? pg 2.

 

[Toto's Dorothy]

Film,
I know. I've been there. See my post under the Religion section, titled, "I saw a glimpse"....

It also has to do with a little 5 letter word that means so much, FAITH.

 

[Filmmaker]

Toto, I agree, but that's the core of the question...
Notgivnup, I love your story! Glad He miraculuously cured your asthma, but why no one of us has been miraculously cured from ALS?
I guess when we receive this iagnosis it's like a letter from Go saying "get ready to come to me"...?

 

[notgivnup]

I have read one story of a miracle from ALS. One could say ..well she never really had it...but I think He can do All. It took 18 years for my last miracle so I do not put a time limit on Him, I knew He could do it and often questionedwhy He didnt do it, but I never lost faith He could, but it was in His timming not mine.