Welcome to Gaia! ::

I don't know why, but lately I've just had a lot of questions and nagging doubts about the Christian faith. I know I believe in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. I know I believe that God sent His only begotten Son to save us from sin and death; I know that I believe Jesus died on the cross for us; I know that I believe the Holy Spirit descends upon us and fills us with faith when we ask for it. I also know that I only believe these things. I look at miracles in the world--malignant cancer victims cured overnight, the crying Mary statue--but then I also see all of the evil in the world, and I ask, "Why would such an awesome God let all of this happen?" I ask God and His Son to help me, but I never feel better...Satan's temptations are strong, but I know God is stronger. That, I know.

All I need is help. And that is why I've been trying to go to Church all the time, but something always makes it so I can't go. What I need from the caring souls in this guild is help, advice, anything to help me through this.

It is a very good question, why would God allow this? But something we have to understand is that God is testing us, and Job is a very good chapter to read up on this subject, thanks Cannette for mentioning it. When man sinned in the Garden of Eden, God cursed us and left us to reap from the sin we(mankind) commit. So this evil that we see or experience is a product of satan's meddling as well as our(mankind) sins. God allows us to experience this in order to test us and make us grow close to Him. Because if we trust God and follow Him, He will protect us from a lot of the evil in this world, all we have to do is pray for it. There is much to be said about this topic, so if you have more questions just let us know.

As for having trouble getting to church, can you be more specific? Just remember praying is very important, so keep praying everyday until God answers your prayer. I will be praying for you as well.

I strongly encourage you to read Job my friend.
I was having the same problem as you, and when I read it, I realized that God _always_ has a good reason for allowing suffering.
Always, and there's no exceptions.

I've read and studied Job like there's no tomorrow, so if you have any questions, please feel free to ask me =] I know it like the back of my hand XD

I'll be praying for you! Keep faith and be strong.

"If at first you don’t succeed;
call it version 1.0."

Well, school's almost here, so the number of people sleeping over at others' houses will drop dramatically. I made it to Church yesterday, and I have been reading Job a lot. It's been helping me some, and I'm glad I decided to visit you guys again. I guess the summer is just a rough time for Chrisitanity itself, what with everyone doing stuff.

There's something highly important that you need to understand. Christianity doesn't focus on the self. It focuses on God.
Colossions 1:16-20
16For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

I got this next bit from http://christianstudy.homestead.com/files/classes/defending_the_faith/lesson11.htm

There are lots of passages in the Bible that honestly trouble a lot of readers—passages where God kills people, punishes people, says things that seem intolerant, offensive, even selfish. Whenever a passage in the Bible rubs us the wrong way, it should give us pause, because the problem is not with the Bible, but with us.

What is it we don’t understand about God’s character that makes some of God’s actions seem so unfair? There is one simple truth that—once grasped—makes us see things as God sees them and unlocks a renewed understanding of God and God’s ways. One single passion drives God’s heart. That passion, as teachers like Augustine and Jonathan Edwards have helped us to see, is this: God’s primary concern in everything he does is to bring glory to himself.

Me again:
God is very blunt about this fact: He is selfish. Is this a bad thing? Not in the least. It certainly isn't inconsistent with what the Bible teaches, to put God before anything else(to have no other gods before him) and to love him above all things. It's true that there is pain and suffering in this world, but really, we all deserve much worse. I'm just glad he doesn't smite us all to Hell. He does have every right to, afterall. But no, instead he gives us all a chance to know him.

of cousrse: no one on earth is perfect. just ,like that song on hannah montanah

I cant wait to start school