Is belief a choice?

[Dak]

Jesus said:

ESV > Matthew 7:7-8:

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened."

Seek Jesus himself, and you will find him. That I promise you. Then things will begin to make sense to you again.

I have asked for alot of things and have not recieved them. I have seeked and seeked for answers to questions that I can't understand and am still confused.

Yes, but I said seek God himself, seek Jesus himself -- and not just some things, and not just some answers to questions.

You must keep in mind that this matter takes time. So be patient. I myself had taken four years from the time my faith was shaken until the time I fell in love with Jesus -- when I could finally say, without doubt, that I am saved.

And let me tell you something else. During this time of searching you might think of God as cruel, harsh, selfish, and simply too willing to make you miserable... and all because he wouldn't grant you the things you ask for. I know; I'd been this path myself.

But remember that God is not obliged to answer our prayers: we can pray, but this doesn't mean it's guaranteed that we'll receive what we want, esp. if the things we ask for go against his will. And remember also that God is a holy God and hates sin. Perhaps you've been praying for things that are sinful in his eyes? And lastly, remember that God is much wiser than us, and knows what is best for us, and he surely has a much better plan for us -- for you! -- than what we can ever ask for for ourselves; therefore, our unanswered prayers, because he has much better answers!

All these then taken together can give the impression that God is a cruel God instead of the loving God we Christians say he is.

But hang in there -- hold on tight. Keep on seeking. Keep on searching. Keep on praying. Above all, be patient. Someday you will know. Someday you will understand.

~

[Dak]

Personally I believe if you are sincere when you say the sinner's prayer, and accept Jesus as your savior, accept the gift of forgiveness, then you are saved....

If you've confessed Jesus as your savior then you are saved! Jesus did everything that needed to be done to get you to Heaven.

I agree with you. You've said it very well. But NothingMakesSenseAnymore requires more assurance than words. I myself heard these words many times, but I still couldn't find it in me to believe that I am saved -- I needed a personal encounter from God to make me really believe. This is why I've been telling him to seek God himself....

~

[missmuffet]

 

 Yes, belief was a choice I made.

 

The one and only reason I could choose was because God gave me that choice. If you've heard the Gospel, He's extending that choice to you as well. I'm praying that you take it.  

How do I take it?  You are saying that if you have heard the gospel that God has given you the choice to believe.  If this is so, since I have read the gospel, how do I make that choice to believe?

 

Do you believe in Jesus Christ?You open up your heart to Jesus Christ and ask him into your life and ask for forgivness of your sins.

[silviawang]

no ,GOD never give me the choice

[other one]

no ,GOD never give me the choice

 

I would agree with you at this.   The only choice I had was to follow him or not.    And he even let me get myself in a situation that I really didn't have much of a choice in that.  Either follow him or fall to the devil...  That was quite a night....   the second time I can remember being totally terrified.