HELP

[Prodigal Son]

do people lose the Holy Spirit? and if so, why? i've read that sometimes God "distances" himself to test people.

i'm asking because i am seriously backsliding. this has come as a surprise to me. but worse, it's really bad. it's not a good thing. i'm not a safe person without God.

i know i should be trying to draw closer to God, but i am doing the opposite. i've stopped reading the bible and i skipped church this morning. i don't want to eat, talk, or even move. i've been depressed before but not since i've come to know God. i've always felt him there. and he's still there...i just feel like i'm losing Him.

just found out i'm going to be a father. i think i feel unworthy of that. i think i feel unworthy of God's love.

i've sought counsel over this, but it's getting worse.

could anyone pray for me?

[voicingmaster]

Sure thing.

[j316]

[quote="Prodigal Son"]do people lose the Holy Spirit? and if so, why? i've read that sometimes God "distances" himself to test people.

I have been a christian for a long time now and I can tell you that you will definitely experience ups and downs. If you are in this forum you are probably a more active seeker than most and that high level of intensity is hard to maintain. You will experience periods that seem like the Holy Spirit has packed up and left, but He hasn't. I think we experience these withdrawals for several reasons.

We need time to digest and assess what we have learned.
Sometimes there are issues in our worldly lives that need attention.
Sometimes we just need a break, students don't stay in school 24/7.

He has always come back, so I don't worry about it any more.

[Felgar]

I'm not sure I would be as unconcerned about it as j316, esspecially considering where you have come from in life from what I've read in your early posts. I think there are at least 3 ways to draw closer to God: Praying to Him, praising Him, and reading His Word. And we drift apart from God by sinning or by not doing the above 3.

So I think they key is to pray, asking God to make His precence known. It's also extremely important to read the Bible - just read it for like 5 hours one night if that's what it takes. And last is to get back to church - one reason is simply to praise God, and the other benefit is that we have other believers there for help. And God will call one of them to help if He knows that we need it.

I also think that one reason you find yourself worried is because the Holy Spirit is convicting you to seek God. You know the Holy Spirit is with you because if He weren't then you probably wouldn't be concerned at all. So follow where the Lord is leading and pick that Bible back up.

[Mastermind]

It happens to me once in a while. It's probably the devil, so see if you can find a remedy for that.

[Prodigal Son]

i told my wife i don't want the baby.

what's wrong with me?

[Felgar]

i told my wife i don't want the baby.

what's wrong with me?

I'd take that back. What if she aborted it?

[bizzt]

just found out i'm going to be a father. i think i feel unworthy of that. i think i feel unworthy of God's love.

i've sought counsel over this, but it's getting worse.

could anyone pray for me?

DUDE!!! Congratulations!!! Trust me the experience is worth everything! Hey and take back that thing you don't want the Baby!!! God Bless this man to realize you have given him a Great Blessing. We are all unworthy of your Love Lord yet you still love us like a Father's Child. Thank you for blessing this Man so he can give that SAME LOVE to his Child. Allow him to follow you and teach the ways of Love to his Child in the Future!

Take some time with your wife and sit down and discuss. A child is a huge blessing!!!!!!!!!!

Praise Him

Tim

[AttentionKMartShoppers]

i think i feel unworthy of God's love.

There's this one little plaque a friend of mine has, and it goes like this:

Even if *name* were the only person in the entire world, Jesus would have still died for him.

I think the best place to start is prayer. Bring back prayer, so you can be motivated to read your Bible and go to church....I'm hoping that's what will happen...because I'm backsliding, but I'm digging my fingers in and slowing down.

I'll bring you up in prayer requests tomorrow...and do it a few minutes after finishing this.

And you've got a good name there. I like that story, because it shows another facet of God's love. Though the son (us) ran off, spent all of his money, and sank as low as possible (Jews weren't supposed to be around swine), his father (God) still took him back, and not only that, had a huge celebration exclaiming, he's back, my son's back! (that's what I think he was saying).

[Anonymous]

Prodigal I am feeling the same way you are. But in my case it has been 16 years since I have even sought him out. I am afraid sometimes that I don't even want to. But I am here reading everyones words, and guess what I actually asked my brother to get my bible that I got for Christmas ( I let him use it because he did not have one and was going to church and I was not ). I guess I am going to pray and start reading and we will see what happends.

I saw your original post, but that seemed to deteriorate into some completely different story. Good luck and I will be watching your post in order to maybe help myself ...

[Prodigal Son]

i went to church today. i feel much better. i apologized to my wife. i do want the baby. i'm just scared i won't be a good father.

i have decided i am going to recommit my life to Christ. i don't think i did it completely right the first time. i was reveling in all the joy he'd brought me, but was running from myself. in order to completely surrender to him we have to "own" our past actions/shame/mistakes/guilt/etc. i have been running from many things. because of that, i can't forgive myself. God wants to recreate us...he can't really do that if we refuse to let go of all our "rusted" parts.

i often refuse to admit to myself what/who i was. e.g. when the pastor calls out for sinners to come forward and be prayed for, i never go up. i'm not a sinner, never have been, i'm nice and good and healed! i think i have to admit it to myself and then give it to God.

thanks for your support.

phew! i almost lost it there!

[Felgar]

i went to church today. i feel much better. i apologized to my wife. i do want the baby. i'm just scared i won't be a good father.

i have decided i am going to recommit my life to Christ.

That's awesome Prodigal, thanks for sharing.

[bizzt]

Thats Great Prodigal Now lets hold a Feast for he has returned