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Cannot Feel God’s Presence
February 1st, 2008
I have been a Christian for 11 months. I cannot feel God’s presence so it makes me wonder if God is really there for me. I mean, maybe I have committed some sin that He cannot forgive. I have been prayed over many times by people in my church. I have diligently prayed the prayers I’m supposed to. I read the Bible (although in truth, they are just words on a page). While it’s true my life is not great right now, my main concern is “connecting with God”, feeling God’s presence so I can trust that He’s there for me. I attend a Pentecostal church. I get very emotional at church services, even though I don’t want to be emotional. If I know I’m particularly emotional on a Sunday I skip church because I just can’t handle another sobfest. Everyone around me in church is filled with the Holy Spirit. I have only felt the Holy Spirit once. It was about a week after I accepted Christ as my saviour. The Holy Spirit told me not to do something - very strongly. I would really appreciate some advice from a Christian that is in the same boat as me.
February 1st, 2008 at 10:08 am
Hi jovenviajero,
Claim God,s Promises. If you seek God ,He will draw near to you.
I would like you to consider Revelation14:7&12 as an invite to give your respect and reverence fully to God as he commanded in Eden (Genesis 2:2-3) and is now asking again.
To encourage you in THE LORD, read this man,s dream about this matter. http://4hispeople.com/sabbathvssunday
May God Almighty continue to guide and lead in your life.God,s Holy Spirit has also come upon me on several occassions, but to think that this glow is 24/7, and if that is what you truely desire, you need to walk hand in hand with God in Joyfoul and loving obedience 100%(without the 10% discount, you current apply). I am only a reader/messenger of God,s word, not the Author.
Pray to God and Exalt Him on High,share His saving power and grace with others then you will be fullfilled in Him.Peace be unto you. Your brother in Jesus Christ our Lord and Master.
February 1st, 2008 at 10:11 am
Hi jovenviajero,
Claim God’s Promises. If you seek God, He will draw near to you.
I would like you to consider Revelation14:7&12 as an invite to give your respect and reverence fully to God as he commanded in Eden (Genesis 2:2-3) and is now asking again.
To encourage you in THE LORD, read this man,s dream about this matter. http://www.4hispeople.com/sabbathvssunday.html
(correct link this time hopefully) sorry about my pc literacy skills)
May God Almighty continue to guide and lead in your life.God,s Holy Spirit has also come upon me on several occassions, but to think that this glow is 24/7, and if that is what you truely desire, you need to walk hand in hand with God in Joyfoul and loving obedience 100%(without the 10% discount, you current apply). I am only a reader/messenger of God’s word, not the Author.
Pray to God and Exalt Him on High,share His saving power and grace with others then you will be fullfilled in Him.Peace be unto you. Your brother in Jesus Christ our Lord and Master.
February 2nd, 2008 at 2:30 am
I just know that God is not a feeling.
If you need to feel to believe that it is not faith anymore.
Let us make a case scenario:
Supposed you are a little girl and you are standing on the 2nd floor at a window where the room is on fire. Your father call from down stairs and tells you to jump. He promissed to catch you when you fall. Would you jump? If you trust your father you will. As a child trust and don’t worry every day like adults do if they will have enough to go on with their lifes, so should you trust that God will be with you through what ever may come against you because you became a Christian. There will be persecution but Jesus said they perscecuted Him and they will persecute us. The good thing about is they will remember our words as they remember His.
It is ok to have a broken heart because God is close to the broken hearts. If you feel it or not He does not change his eyes are on the sparow and he is watching over you.
Your sister in Christ, Suzana.
February 2nd, 2008 at 4:41 am
I am not too sure, Jo. But may I ask you, that did you try everything in your best to give up that sin? Don’t get me wrong, although you may fall into it at times, but God sees your heart.
For example, I have been struggling with pornography so I threw away everything(Dvds, Cds, even games; Mortal Kombat which has sexy female characters) that is related to sexual excitement although is mild in sexual content.
I know this amputation is too extreme from our human view, but I will not underestimate the power of amputating it. Because from subtle temptations can lead to bigger tempations. That’s the trick the devil may use anytime beyond our expectation.
I’m not too sure why you cannot feel the presence of God, because for me…I do feel his presence at times when My heart TRULY cries out to him and seek him. But sometimes I do feel as if he puts me to a test whereby….will i still continue to trust in him although I cannot feel his presence? You’re not alone here, Jo.
But yes, GOd desires us to obey him and try our best to get rid of that sin. Just like you said “The holy spirit told me not to do something-very strongly”
I believe the holy spirit is convicting you not to do something that is not pleasing to the eyes of God?
Can you please elaborate more so that I can probably help you out. But if you do find it too personal to share, you can write it in a more general sense so you dont have to be embarassed? Please email me in private, Jo
February 3rd, 2008 at 5:06 am
Dearest friend,
Do you understand that you said the Lord has spoken to you! Do you know how many pentecostal brothers and sisters have never heard his voice, but only pray in tongues! I encourage to give up what He said to give up. Next, read the gospels! Read all Jesus said and did. Read it out loud. Walk around with your bible and read His words aloud. Jesus said that His words are Spirit and Life! As for feeling the Lord? You cry in church! Have you never read that our Lord was a “man of sorrows” and “acquainted with grief”? He is looking for believers like you. Those who weep. I tell you the truth, the more you cry, the greater your joy. Read Isaiah 53! Read the gospels. Believe Jesus is actually like this, and you will understand how much of Jesus you already have. Don’t give up! Don’t give up!
February 7th, 2008 at 8:01 am
don’t confuse God’s presence with emotional experiences invoked through circumstances. i know what you mean by not feeling God. i had that problem too and i thought i was doing something wrong. I analyzed myself and i began to find out that i never really BELIEVED in God when i started as a kid. i had to imagine him because i didn’t have the mental capacity to actually believe in an invisible creator. so all my life i went through a charade of being a Christian subconsciously thinking it was all an act to make everyone feel good even though i wasn’t really thinking that. when i realized that i was really thankful because now i know that you have to have faith and believe not imagine him as a giant old bearded man in the clouds. So really what you’re doing is searching for something you want to feel but you’re ignoring the reality of it. hope this helps because sometimes “just praying about it” and “reading your bible” isn’t appropriate for the situation when you’re already cast in disbelief.
February 7th, 2008 at 8:03 am
BTW don’t skip church anymore and actually listen to what the message is. don’t feel it.
April 10th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
i use to feel the same way,till i gave up everything,secular music,different movies and shows,people i hang around with even my thoughts change my words change even the way i use to do things.now sometimes on and off i feel the same,(i say) God if you there why all the time i dont feel your presence.but God will speak to me,but fast,pray everday,seek him,and how you seek him,is to give up alot of things that you do everyday and just stand or sit in silence and get your self in the spirit.and seek him with all you heart,dont worry God is there with you,we just dont see him.
be encoruage/its normal to feel that way/just believe