This is all Lynyrd's fault... or is it?

[bellapalmera]

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY WHEN PEOPLE ASK ME WHY I BELIEVE IN GOD/JESUS/CHRISTIANITY AND I HATE THAT.

I tried telling Lynyrd that I believe in it because it makes sense to me and it's what I choose to place my faith in. But he still wants to know why and... I just don't KNOW why! I just DO! I just KNOW that it's what's real to me and it's what I believe as the truth. There's got to be more than that...

I've never been good at quiet times, or reading my Bible, or paying attention at Bible study, or praying, or dealing with sins in my life. I know my heart is in the right place and I know that I have placed my faith in Christ but I can't put my finger on a tangible explanation why I feel this way. I just know that it's the truth and until I can find a way to explain that to someone I'm probably going to have a huge problem.

---

EDIT:

I think I did come up with something, so I'm typing it here so I can at least articulate it properly.

I had to remember back to the time when I was first being exposed to Christianity (outside of my limited Catholic upbringing) and the good things about it, and I think a big part of it was the acceptance I received as a new person in the group. These people knew how to accept a person for who they really were, and I had spent my whole life dealing with people who failed to accept me because I was "fat", "ugly", or "smelled bad". These people had joy in their life. These people could go out and have a good time without drugs, alcohol, or sex (and none of those things appealed to me regardless of my religious beliefs, so that worked out pretty well =P). I guess the draw was that I wanted God to make me like that. I know there are people who are like that who don't probably even care about God, but the fact is that at that time this group differed from everyone else I knew and if faith in God was what made them different then that was ok with me.

No, that's not it. That's part of it, yes. Well, they're factors. AHH.

Once I believed, my life did get better. And then when I hit a really low point soon after that, I had someone who I could trust... something I could believe in... to make my life better. The thing with that is that it actually worked.

Is that why? I don't know.

I believe in God because of love. God makes me feel love. The presence of other believers has made me feel His love. He helps me to love people that I myself do not love. Is that it? Probably. It's as close to right as I can come.

Comments

[comitto.livejournal.com]

I think that searching for the answer will help you grow as a Christian. Questioning faith always strengthens it - unless you believe in something that isn't true. And who wants to believe in something that isn't true anyway?

[bellapalmera.livejournal.com]

Thanks :)

:)

[tampakittie.livejournal.com]

Well put.

I really enjoy apologetics. I think you'll find books like that helpful. They are great in defending faith based on facts & logic.

Re: :)

[bellapalmera.livejournal.com]

I need to learn more of those.

My issue was that he asked me that and I did not know why I, Traci Ann Sinnott, was a believer of God. I've thought about it before and been like eh, I dunno, I just am. But this was the first time I was truly challenged to give an answer. It wasn't really a "why is this the truth" thing, but more of a "why do I choose to believe this as the truth" thing. :)

[kimberleypace.livejournal.com]

I agree with God's love! He knows how to reach us, and sometimes words cannot express it!