everything has just sort of spiralled out of control

[freeinnocentspirit]

Before I launch into my strange snowball effect dilemma I just want to add a bit of background information. I am tempted to go to church and possibly off load to a pastor but won't know where to start! (And maybe posting here would help me get a more broader range of advice).

Well my brief family snapshot is this. My grandma was a broad minded person who never as such instilled one religion on her kids and this lead the family having one or more belief system. Now the next generation has ended up with a set divide of either an agnostic/buddhist/hindu group or a Jewish/catholic group...and now there is me non-denominational Christian.

For each time there is a family crisis of some sort all I get is six or seven themes of religious guidance/philosophy.

The family crisis this time is that my sister has decided to run off (she has done a dissappearing act) and to marry some guy she has known for only a short while (as you do!!) Now the reaction I have is this - So its the basically God is testing us or we are being punished for sins on earth. At the moment yes there is the fact I'm not working so people find me very accessible and I guess I never took the time out to notice all the little clashes my family has but its now got to the point where I think its all spiralled out of control. We seem to all be very negative and its almost effecting me on an epic scale where I am getting back to that stages of questioning my own faith, and I dont want to feel this way. I'm almost in reverse fast track.

I'm stressed out with job hunting as it is (yet another negative aspect) and now I'm surrounded by scorned family members who are constantly clashing about everything as this new family crisis has bought it all up to the surface. Surely I'm not the only want to ever be caught up in a dilemma like this. This has all just snowballed into a huge bundle of stress for me!

How would you deal with such a huge range of conflicting philosophies? I just feel like my faith is forever being tested.

Edited September 6, 2012 by freeinnocentspirit

[LisaMarie savedbygrace]

From what I understand our faith is always being tested. Not in a way to punish us or anything but more so to see where we stand in Him.He gives us faith not so everything will be easy.. but so we can stand firm in the midst of it..

I have been learning to be more deeply rooted in Him and what i am noticing is the more deeper I go the more the enemy wants to try and stop me and keep me where I am .. I have walked around the same stupid mountain too many times and now it is time for me to step up and step in.. So I am digging in with both heels and I am not giving in.

I am sure it is very confusing and frustrating dealing with so many different beliefs but you have to be strong and stand firm in what it is you believe in .. i have had my share of questioning my faith .. especially seeing as to how I am in the same boat as you in the looking for work dept. But I have to believe that God is working in my life no matter what it looks like or doesn't look like and no matter how it feels.. I have to believe.. It's really the only thing I am counting on.. That He is indeed working in my life..

I don't know your sister's beliefs or her age but I wouldn't let yourself believe that her decisions are punishment for anything.. The enemy will use any opening given.. so try as much as you can to cast down those negative thoughts.. Your sister is her own person and sometimes we have to let people do as they will in order to learn.. I know for me I was forever learning the hard way.. I like to think I have smartened up some..LOL..

Just talk to Him let Him know how you're feeling.. I mean He already knows.. but just talk to Him .. let Him reassure you and encourage you. For me I believe in God with all my heart.. yes i had moments of doubt and I questioned so much.. But I had to get comfortable in not knowing , and i know I still have to work through over thinking and over analyzing so much.. I won't understand everything God does and why and that's okay. But I believe.. I believe that even when my world feels like it has been turned upside down that God has got me. It's Him redirecting me... showing me what I need to work on and where i stand with Him.. Ask Him to fix your foundation.. He will be there to carry you through this .. )

[Guest]

Praying~!

[his4eva]

My sympathies are with you, this is a very sad time for your family. It has occurred in mine also, but with more extended family so I did not feel the brunt of it as you do being in immediate relations with her.

All I want to say is that when there are problems that really affect us (like this one), we are at our weekest point. This is the time when Satan comes in and puts doubts about your own faith in your head.

"Come to me all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matt 11:28). When we believe Satan's lies and turn from God at times, we deny ourselves of his comfort and peace that he wants to give us.

"Cast yours cares upon him, for he cares for you" (1Peter 5:7)

What does this mean in everyday life? Lean on him. Pray often. Tell him your fears. Ask fo his help for your family and your job situation. Wait patiently and faithfully.

I will pray also.

[NewToChrist]

I have been through some similar issues. being the only christian in my family. it can be hard feeling that way, as for your sister, i've been in her shoes, the whole running away part. she will come to her senses! I will be praying for you!

[georgedrw81]

God does not test us, just like parents do not test their children. No matter how many times a small child fall down we pick him/her up again and again.

Praying

[freeinnocentspirit]

From what I understand our faith is always being tested. Not in a way to punish us or anything but more so to see where we stand in Him.He gives us faith not so everything will be easy.. but so we can stand firm in the midst of it..

I have been learning to be more deeply rooted in Him and what i am noticing is the more deeper I go the more the enemy wants to try and stop me and keep me where I am .. I have walked around the same stupid mountain too many times and now it is time for me to step up and step in.. So I am digging in with both heels and I am not giving in.

I am sure it is very confusing and frustrating dealing with so many different beliefs but you have to be strong and stand firm in what it is you believe in .. i have had my share of questioning my faith .. especially seeing as to how I am in the same boat as you in the looking for work dept. But I have to believe that God is working in my life no matter what it looks like or doesn't look like and no matter how it feels.. I have to believe.. It's really the only thing I am counting on.. That He is indeed working in my life..

I don't know your sister's beliefs or her age but I wouldn't let yourself believe that her decisions are punishment for anything.. The enemy will use any opening given.. so try as much as you can to cast down those negative thoughts.. Your sister is her own person and sometimes we have to let people do as they will in order to learn.. I know for me I was forever learning the hard way.. I like to think I have smartened up some..LOL..

Just talk to Him let Him know how you're feeling.. I mean He already knows.. but just talk to Him .. let Him reassure you and encourage you. For me I believe in God with all my heart.. yes i had moments of doubt and I questioned so much.. But I had to get comfortable in not knowing , and i know I still have to work through over thinking and over analyzing so much.. I won't understand everything God does and why and that's okay. But I believe.. I believe that even when my world feels like it has been turned upside down that God has got me. It's Him redirecting me... showing me what I need to work on and where i stand with Him.. Ask Him to fix your foundation.. He will be there to carry you through this .. )

I agree with you and I am doing the same in terms of digging my heels in. I would hear my Christian friend refer to the devil among us or the enemy too and I would sit there and think well whaaaat or ok let it slide let me not provoke another debate. This time I can't even point out that - this is when this started. Or thats the point I got too stressed out. All was fine and I was doing great taking the whole bible study in my stride, then came August and it suddenly became this bleak dark world of doom. I think that it is totally a case of how complex the structure of my family is and that for the first time I realize that the ones who seem to preach one faith does not have a firm faith. However the constant negativity does'nt help.

For me my path to Christianity cant be explained, I know that I am not ever going to be reverting back to the agnostic world again that is for sure. I was listening the Bible app on my phone after I wrote my original thread and thought that its a wonderful miracle that I follow a faith where with each time I read the gospel of Matthew I seem to find the truth. What is challenging me is that the masses of diverse belief systems within my family is now clashing totally on a personal level.

As for my sisters disappearing act its made it interesting for me to see how she has totally lost her way and also how I could have very well been on a different path of my life. I think it has made me appreciate how I am truly blessed to have just been taken on this journey. Although I might not be working and feel as though I have been broken down by stress and all these difficult times. I would never change the fact that I have become a Christian - Its deep within my heart and I suppose its a part of me me now.

Thank you all for your advice and prayers.

[freeinnocentspirit]

My sympathies are with you, this is a very sad time for your family. It has occurred in mine also, but with more extended family so I did not feel the brunt of it as you do being in immediate relations with her.

All I want to say is that when there are problems that really affect us (like this one), we are at our weekest point. This is the time when Satan comes in and puts doubts about your own faith in your head.

"Come to me all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matt 11:28). When we believe Satan's lies and turn from God at times, we deny ourselves of his comfort and peace that he wants to give us.

"Cast yours cares upon him, for he cares for you" (1Peter 5:7)

What does this mean in everyday life? Lean on him. Pray often. Tell him your fears. Ask fo his help for your family and your job situation. Wait patiently and faithfully.

I will pray also.

Sorry I didn't spot this one earlier or I could have just done a multi quote. I agree totally its like a lot of stress is all piled up on me suddenly and its totally knocked me off course.

[gdemoss]

Everything in life is designed to bring us to God. We are all limited in our capacity to deal with situations and circumstances that occur around us regularly. Jesus told us to take his yoke upon us and learn from him because he was meek and lowly in heart.

First reaction to any conflict or issue is always the same.

Remember that the opinion was born in the Garden of Eden and everyone has one and no one should ever use theirs as contention only comes by pride when someone knows their opinion is the correct one.

God's opinion is the only one that matters and we need to seek someone who knows him better than we do that can accurately explain to us what Gods opinion on the matter is and what he wants us to do about if if anything.

From what you describe above there is not much to directly understand about the situation and how each individual person involved is being affected. But nonetheless we, as Christians, owe no one anything but to love one another. So what you need to be doing in any given situation is loving those who are involved. All you need to know is what that looks like. Whenever a problem involving others that it supercharged with emotion comes along, I suggest that you go to 1 Cor 13 and read it, then pray and ask God to speak to you about the problem and those involved in it, asking what you can do to love each person involved, as he would. Charity in the KJV is Godly love.

<< 1 Corinthians 13 >>

King James Version

1Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

4Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

8Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

In Jesus Name,

Gary

[wingnut-]

There is nothing really to add, my heart goes out to you, and wanted you to know you are in my prayers, God bless.