Who is God to you?

[MidnightDancer]

I totally agree with the opinions that God is not religion. I have issues with organised religion/churches. I grew up going to church, a church that ended up not being there when I saught guidance and prayer but who never failed to pass a plate by me. I don't believe that is the same as God tho.

I have some issues with him too tho. Hmmm who is he to me? Well I believe that he is good. I like that PP who said he walks beside me and catches me when I fall. I feel like that, he is that to me. I also believe that he did give us free will to make choices. I think as far as the suicide thing goes that some people do suffer from mental illness and when that happens sometimes maybe they misuse their free will. But not everyone who tries to commit suicide succedes. I wonder if God is involved at all could he be sparing those that are just in TOO much pain here? Could that be one of his ways of not letting them take on more than they can handle? I don't know. My uncle committed suicicide. My mother has tried more times than I can count and she is here today. I don't know the difference but I wonder about it and I think God may be involved somehow.
Another way that I am conflicted and confussed about God is in regard to my angels. On the one hand I hope and pray everyday that they are with God and he is caring for them and loving them until I come home. On the other hand I wonder *why* they had to go? That part of me can be angry sometimes. Because of that conflict I felt distant from God for quite a while. The first time I returned to a church (to have Dani baptised) was really hard. I felt on the brink of tears most of the time I was there. I think it was because I had missed him and it was hard to try to find resolution and to tell him I was angry. I wanted my babies here with me. Then I prayed and talked to him honestly for thee first time in a while. I think that it is just part of his plan that I don't understand yet. And that it is not my job to understand but to go on and live and love my family and to love God.

[kaaryn]

Sandy, they are definitely with Him. It says in the bible somewhere that not one of His little ones will fall.

(I don't remember all of it, but there was a lady in my church dealing with repeated miscarriages and so it came up.)

I find myself getting very weepy at church sometimes when I've been away from God, I think that's His spirit trying to reconnect with us. It's okay to be angry with life and question God about why things happen - even some of the major prophets railed at God sometimes. Have you read through the Psalms? Some of them might help you to get through your feelings, when David was writing out of his own anguish.

[EDee]

I haven't posted on this thread..i'm just reading up on some of things everyone has said..i believe there is definitely a God. In my opinion and i would never force mine on someone else there is a higher power and it is god. How else would my prayers get answered? i can pray for something and five mins later what i prayed comes together..so, i know a lot of people have their own beliefs and that is fine but i will stick with what I know...and gather my own opinions...same as i would expect someone else to do..
everyone's lives are so different and it's the same with their religions....i believe that the bible teaches a lot good things, but I also believe some important things were left out of the bible..so, it's just an opinion..so depending on who you are talking too you will prob get many different ideas and opinions on the matter..i will continue to believe in god and know that he is around me every single day....

EDee

[samezsilli]

I grew up going to church.. and there were constant power struggles with in the church...
Some of the members would vote on something deliberately to go against the preacher and then vote him out and get a new one.. it was over and over...

I don't necessarily know what I believe anymore. After losing Noah... my faith went away and hasn't really come back.
And I've read a lot of book son different things and now I think a lot differently than I did.
I don't believe the Bible as *gods spoken * word... mainly because it wasn't written by Him.... the bible was written by men.. giving their own accounts... and who knows when or how much or if they embellished?
Maybe he wasn't a Son of God... maybe Jesus was just a man who had charisma, like david koresh?
Someone who had a natural ability to get people to follow him?
Were there scriptures left out of the bible? Why? Did it show him as more of a *human* than as a god?

Plus all the religions have chords that are the same... IF there was someone walking the earth... could he have appeared as Jesus, as Buddah, as Allah to different tribes of people and told them what they would want to hear/know and that's why some of the teachings are the same?

I think I still have more reading to do on the subject, lol.
All in all.. i'm not a beleiver like I once was..... I don't have that *blind faith* anymore....

[Weeza]

Originally Posted by kaaryn

Sandy, they are definitely with Him. It says in the bible somewhere that not one of His little ones will fall.

(I don't remember all of it, but there was a lady in my church dealing with repeated miscarriages and so it came up.)

I find myself getting very weepy at church sometimes when I've been away from God, I think that's His spirit trying to reconnect with us. It's okay to be angry with life and question God about why things happen - even some of the major prophets railed at God sometimes. Have you read through the Psalms? Some of them might help you to get through your feelings, when David was writing out of his own anguish.

I feel you on the getting weepy. I just starting going back to church after 10 years It took everything to hold back my tears. And they were happy tears. It was like God was telling me not to feel bad and he was happy that I was back. It was a very moving experience.

I wanted to go back to church to reconnect with God. I don't feel that there is one perfect religion. I don't go to my church because I feel it is the right one. I go so I can set aside a time of the week to really try to connect with God.