What if anything "tests" your faith?


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eHA_Admin_Lori is offline eHA_Admin_Lori — Advice Official Moderator Post #1  January 25,2010, 3:24pm
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I was waiting to be seated at a restaurant the other day and overheard the lady next to me and her friend talking about Haiti. She was telling her friend that the disaster and widespread death & destruction made her question whether or not there is a God.

Her friend replied and said to her something like: "Or, you can allow this to strengthen your faith -- the disaster / destruction could have been twice as worse."

Interesting perspectives, both, which got me pondering a larger question:

What sorts of things, if any, "test" your faith?
 
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lindseyk is offline lindseyk Post #2  January 25,2010, 8:25pm
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Sometimes I feel like my whole life has been one gigantic test. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but a little peace would be nice now and then. lol
 
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OverAnalyzer is offline OverAnalyzer Post #3  January 31,2010, 3:40pm
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I question my faith in myself more than I question my faith in God. I don't doubt Him at all, but sometimes I'm not so crazy about what he tosses my way.

You have to be responsible for your own life, including how you react to what happens around you. It's not always so easy.
 
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meri75 is offline meri75 Post #4  February 1,2010, 12:07pm
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Anytime I have a conflict of priorities between work and church ... people at work sometimes just do not understand that single and no children does not equate to available to work 24/7!

And, this will likely sound a bit lame: just the general evilness of people around the world.
 
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BlueHorse is offline BlueHorse Post #5  February 4,2010, 4:16pm
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Oy- however petty this may sound, what tests my faith the most has been my total lack of success at finding a quality relationship. I mean, if some things are"just meant to be", or there's a plan for each one of us.... why do some of us have to be lonely?
 
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AngelaH is offline AngelaH Post #6  March 16,2010, 12:41am
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Many things test my PATIENCE.

Many things cause me to QUESTION my faith.

I suppose some of the negative comments and attitudes I've faced has tested my faith. So many times, it would be easier to just agree with others instead of stand my ground. But what's the point of having a brain and the intelligence to form an opinion if you'll abandon it just to avoid a little debate and controversy.

Of course, I don't know if I'd survive any kind of martyrdom test. Heck, christians in muslim countries are so horribly tested. No schools, no job prospects, no help from local law enforcement - all because they choose a belief system that is different from the prevailing one. So, if I did not live here where I enjoy the freedom of religion, I don't know if I could publicly hold true to my faith. I'd like to think that I wouldn't allow myself to be bullied, but when the choice is, "Give in or we will beat your husband and rape your daughters", I think I'd give in.

AngelaH
 
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LilyAmongThornz is offline LilyAmongThornz Post #7  August 1,2010, 2:17pm
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eHA_Admin_Lori wrote :

What sorts of things, if any, "test" your faith?
What tests my faith... the fact that everything in my life was taken away from me and ground to ashes at a time when I was pursuing God the most. I had a brain injury, lost my mobility, memory, speech, most brain functions, was in coma, survived with a lot of miracles, only to wake up and find my world razed to the ground. Friends abandoned me. I found myself all alone and suddenly severely disabled and my world swept over by a tsunami that razed every part of it to the ground. I was denied rehab and medical facilities. Live in four walls for years and years seeing nothing but the walls around me, not being able to go outside and enjoy a breath of fresh air. I had everything..dream job, pursuing my dreams, tons of friends, good income, perfect health, beauty, good chances for prospective relationships, and then in the blink of an eye it was all taken away from me. And after all these years, my prayers never seemed to be answered. All this tests my faith a lot.

Another thing that tests my faith is the fact that guys on eHarmony have stopped talking to me as soon as they found out I have had a brain injury and have limitations. Even though it was years back and I've recovered quite a bit from it, I still have a lot of limitations. Not even one guy wants to get to know someone with a disability. It is so frustrating when they write you off without even getting to know you. Don't people with disabilities have any chance at finding love or getting married? Oh boy, that really tests my faith a lot.

So questions have arisen in my life like, does God care? does He listen? why does He allow bad things to happen to innocent people?

But I have to say something, however much it tests my faith, and irrespective of whether I have faith or lose it all, God's love has never changed or left me, that has held me through it all and holds me still. So my faith is in the love of God and love never fails. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord. He sees the bigger picture and causes all things to work together for good to them that love Him. And I have my answers .. yes God does care, He does listen, He does love, and the only proof of His love that i need is already given to me- Jesus died for my sins at the cross. There is no greater love than that..Christ died to save us from our sins and give us eternal life. So I have eternal life and am going to heaven and so whatever my trials and tragedies and pain and frustrations on earth may be, it shall eventually pass away, and my eternal future is bright. So all that puts things in perspective and helps when my faith gets tested.
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Diana_P is offline Diana_P Post #8  May 21,2011, 4:21pm
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eHA_Admin_Lori wrote :
I was waiting to be seated at a restaurant the other day and overheard the lady next to me and her friend talking about Haiti. She was telling her friend that the disaster and widespread death & destruction made her question whether or not there is a God.

Her friend replied and said to her something like: "Or, you can allow this to strengthen your faith -- the disaster / destruction could have been twice as worse."

Interesting perspectives, both, which got me pondering a larger question:

What sorts of things, if any, "test" your faith?
I know this is an old thread but it's a good one!

It wouldn't be called Faith if there weren't tests. I still struggle with this myself. Why does God want us to "believe." Governments give us rules but they don't ask us to believe in them. I'm trying to wrap my head around how different religion would be if God just gave us his rules but said nothing about "believing" in Him.

Every day is a test because you have to trust that if you do the right thing God will take care of everything else! Believing God exist is not so hard; putting your life in His hands is.
 
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charmingphlsphr is offline charmingphlsphr Post #9  May 21,2011, 5:16pm
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eHA_Admin_Lori wrote :
I was waiting to be seated at a restaurant the other day and overheard the lady next to me and her friend talking about Haiti. She was telling her friend that the disaster and widespread death & destruction made her question whether or not there is a God.

Her friend replied and said to her something like: "Or, you can allow this to strengthen your faith -- the disaster / destruction could have been twice as worse."

Interesting perspectives, both, which got me pondering a larger question:

What sorts of things, if any, "test" your faith?
Nothing tests my faith anymore. Over the years, I have found that the prior "tests" were vain and superficial. The propositions of opposing viewpoints rarely retain their structure and stamina when they are opposed.
 
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Diana_P is offline Diana_P Post #10  May 22,2011, 6:27am
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charmingphlsphr wrote :
Nothing tests my faith anymore. Over the years, I have found that the prior "tests" were vain and superficial. The propositions of opposing viewpoints rarely retain their structure and stamina when they are opposed.
Not to argue semantics, but is it really faith if you have no doubts?

I’m pretty sure of what I believe now, even so I try to keep an open mind because I’ve already experienced a major paradigm shift once in my life. It was like a freight train hitting a mountain. I had to accept what was unfolding whether I wanted to or not. It is extremely disconcerting to have something you are so sure of redefined and the comfort of knowing you are right about something taken away.

The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle basically says that you can never be 100% sure of anything. That I exist I’m pretty sure of; the how’s, the why’s, and the what’s next is where I try to keep an open mind.
 
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