What now?

[jonojim1337]

So I've been a "Christian" for quite a while actually baptized since birth but actively believing for at least a decade. So throughout this time I haven't been able to find anything to do, I don't experience I have a calling anywhere and I don't have a cool testimony to share or anything. So how does one go from here?

 

[JM]

If you don't know what to do practice pure religion, "visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." James 1:27

 

[jonojim1337]

If you don't know what to do practice pure religion, "visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." James 1:27

Yes but for that I need an ECONOMY and the good Lord has put on below existential minium for the whole time.

Speaking of which, my own children are in the foster care system.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

So I've been a "Christian" for quite a while actually baptized since birth but actively believing for at least a decade. So throughout this time I haven't been able to find anything to do, I don't experience I have a calling anywhere and I don't have a cool testimony to share or anything. So how does one go from here?

Having a "cool" testimony is highly overrated in my opinion. You just need to be the person you are and be willing to constructively participate with other people in life as best you can.

What is it you think Christians should be doing? We're not going to be building empires and even if we do we have the book of Ecclesiastes to remind us of the outcomes of our mortal existence on a more sober level. We can only do whatever good what we can do.

 

[Ivan Hlavanda]

So I've been a "Christian" for quite a while actually baptized since birth but actively believing for at least a decade. So throughout this time I haven't been able to find anything to do, I don't experience I have a calling anywhere and I don't have a cool testimony to share or anything. So how does one go from here?

Love the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. That means follow His commandments. To love God first is the most important thing. So find out all the things He commanded. And read the Bible.

Second is to share the gospel. We are all called to do that. You do not need a cool testimony, just spread Christ crucifies and resurrected.

Thirdly, assemble with Christians as much as you can and woship the Lord. There is not bigger joy in life than that. You can do this alone also.

You don't need financies to help others. You can help people without that.

 

[anetazo]

Ephesians chapter 3 tells us about different gifts and abilities. It could be making money and helping the poor or volunteer work. Or just a evangelist.
Not everyone can be the pastor or teacher.

Hebrews chapter 5 . Congregation should be teachers of God's word after 20 years. Sadly, some churches don't nourish their flocks. Thier biblically illiterate.

Circumstances can be factor.
Everyone has different gifts and abilities. Find out your talents and use it to serve God.
I hope this helps.

 

[jonojim1337]

Having a "cool" testimony is highly overrated in my opinion. You just need to be the person you are and be willing to constructively participate with other people in life as best you can.

What is it you think Christians should be doing? We're not going to be building empires and even if we do we have the book of Ecclesiastes to remind us of the outcomes of our mortal existence on a more sober level. We can only do whatever good what we can do.

Well I think one should have a life worth living if one should be preaching? What am I to preach exactly? My miserable state? People will have pity on me.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Well I think one should have a life worth living if one should be preaching? What am I to preach exactly? My miserable state? People will have pity on me.

Maybe I ask you where you're getting the idea that being able to preach somehow makes life worth living?

Y'know, whether you preach or don't preach, you're still made in the Image of God either way. In fact, you can choose to do a number of occupations in life and still be significant as a human being, like the rest of us.

 

[jonojim1337]

Maybe I ask you where you're getting the idea that being able to preach somehow makes life worth living?

Y'know, whether you preach or don't preach, you're still made in the Image of God either way. In fact, you can choose to do a number of occupations in life and still be significant as a human being, like the rest of us.

If a person, who doesn't believe in God, has a better life than me, it makes more sense that I should keep quiet and not do any kind of preaching, at all. If I have something to say that would make a persons life better, then it would be sensible to preach.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

If a person, who doesn't believe in God, has a better life than me, it makes more sense that I should keep quiet and not do any kind of preaching, at all. If I have something to say that would make a persons life better, then it would be sensible to preach.

Sure. If any one of us isn't in a good, solid place in life mentally and spiritually, we probably shouldn't be "up there" preaching to anyone else.

However, the fact that we may have struggles and challenges in life doesn't mean we have to ignore our humanity and avoid healthy interaction with other people, even other Christian people. So, all I'm trying to say is that you might do yourself a service and acknowledge your own humanity as valuable. It's what the Lord made you for. You don't have to be a "preacher" to be worth something; you already are valuable.

 

[jonojim1337]

Sure. If any one of us isn't in a good, solid place in life mentally and spiritually, we probably shouldn't be "up there" preaching to anyone else.

However, the fact that we may have struggles and challenges in life doesn't mean we have to ignore our humanity and avoid healthy interaction with other people, even other Christian people. So, all I'm trying to say is that you might do yourself a service and acknowledge your own humanity as valuable. It's what the Lord made you for. You don't have to be a "preacher" to be worth something; you already are valuable.

Yeah I don't know I would like to go the Christian path but I'm only met with confusion and more questions. And it seems kind of unfair that some are heavily blessed with spiritual gifts and insight, while some I guess have to live an ordinary life not knowing if they're saved or not.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Yeah I don't know I would like to go the Christian path but I'm only met with confusion and more questions. And it seems kind of unfair that some are heavily blessed with spiritual gifts and insight, while some I guess have to live an ordinary life not knowing if they're saved or not.

At one time, I didn't have any insight about the Christian faith either. Like, nearly zilch!

Moreover, as far as having a special testimony to share goes, not only am I very imperfect in knowledge and moral detachment from the world, but I can honestly say I have only a very, very low level of that kind of thing to offer. Even with this being the case, though, I don't think I have to simply assume that I'm either not worthy as a person or---worse yet---unsaved from perdition.

Do you think I should be more worried about either my value as a person or about my eternal salvation?

 

[jonojim1337]

At one time, I didn't have any insight about the Christian faith either. Like, nearly zilch!

Moreover, as far as having a special testimony to share goes, not only am I very imperfect in knowledge and moral detachment from the world, but I can honestly say I have only a very, very low level of that kind of thing to offer. Even with this being the case, though, I don't think I have to simply assume that I'm either not worthy as a person or---worse yet---unsaved from perdition.

Do you think I should be more worried about either my value as a person or about my eternal salvation?

I have come to the understanding that when you suffer your mistakes and things that could have been better, that this might be the holy spirit shaping you. Each thing comes up one at a time and has to be dealt with accordingly. After each thing is processed you feel better.

That being said, if I'm not successful in this process, life doesn't feel worthwhile. It's easy to forget that this is what's happing and just feel bad.

That being said, you're always in a context where your character is tried and you suffer accordingly. Is that not so?

There's a difference between making a mistake and regretting it and not realizing your mistake or stubborny persists in it. The latter leads to worser states but we can entrust that God forgives us and is capable of creating new situations for us.

 

[Studyman]

Well I think one should have a life worth living if one should be preaching? What am I to preach exactly? My miserable state? People will have pity on me.

Wow, this is exactly my mindset 30 years ago. With all the different religious sects and businesses in this world, which one do I pick, which one should I promote, whose philosophies should I adopt and teach my children?

The Jesus of the Bible said to "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and HIS Righteousness". Why not follow Him and take HIS advice? Since you have nothing to lose, simply separate yourself from this world's religions, and seek your answers, not from other men, but from an earnest heart "Seek" the answer from the God of the Bible that HE had written "for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."

I was given this same advice almost 30 years ago, thank you God, and following it changed my life forever in ways I could have never expected. It's not always easy, but never boring.

Instead of just taking for granted the many differing religions and religious traditions and philosophies of the world God placed us in, do your own seeking. It's a fascinating way to spend your time, and you will find so much about yourself, and God, that you don't know now. And what else really matters to a man, father, husband, in this evil world.

What a great topic, "What now"?

 

[2PhiloVoid]

I have come to the understanding that when you suffer your mistakes and things that could have been better, that this might be the holy spirit shaping you. Each thing comes up one at a time and has to be dealt with accordingly. After each thing is processed you feel better.

That being said, if I'm not successful in this process, life doesn't feel worthwhile. It's easy to forget that this is what's happing and just feel bad.

That being said, you're always in a context where your character is tried and you suffer accordingly. Is that not so?

There's a difference between making a mistake and regretting it and not realizing your mistake or stubborny persists in it. The latter leads to worser states but we can entrust that God forgives us and is capable of creating new situations for us.

Ok. So then, it what way does your answer to me here answer, or fail to answer, your own question up in your OP???

It almost sounds like you know your worth and what you can expect from God. What more are you needing?

 

[I's2C]

So I've been a "Christian" for quite a while actually baptized since birth but actively believing for at least a decade. So throughout this time I haven't been able to find anything to do, I don't experience I have a calling anywhere and I don't have a cool testimony to share or anything. So how does one go from here?

For one: one is not baptized at birth; one only is truly baptized (full immersion) when one becomes at the age of accountability. One must of own free will after understanding why you want to be baptized. That is that CHRIST was crucified and 3 days later was resurrected; only begotten SON of GOD who came to be a sacrifice for one and all times to defeat death. That whom soever believes on HIM will have eternal life. We are to fallow CHRIST example if you want to be a follower of HIS; HE was fully immersed in water. At birth you didnt of own free will choose to be baptized, sorry that is not baptized.

 

[jonojim1337]

Ok. So then, it what way does your answer to me here answer, or fail to answer, your own question up in your OP???

It almost sounds like you know your worth and what you can expect from God. What more are you needing?

I can see that 'the process' leads to clearer sight but I'm not done with all the things that need to be processed, thus the sight isn't entirely clear. The limitation of the human being that he can only process one piece of information at a time.

 

[jonojim1337]

I don't have anything in this world and I'm not receiving guidance of where to go next other than the opportunities that might appear to me once in a while which I can be thankful for, which are exclusively of a worldly nature. I can take it as a sign that I should live a worldy life, that is to be a normal human being in this world. I can be happy for Christians that are saved but I don't feel I have any part in this kind of life. And besides Paul said you can do all kinds of ministry and still not be saved if you don't have love. Well [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse], then why even bother with this spiritual stuff.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

So I've been a "Christian" for quite a while actually baptized since birth but actively believing for at least a decade. So throughout this time I haven't been able to find anything to do, I don't experience I have a calling anywhere and I don't have a cool testimony to share or anything. So how does one go from here?

God's will for you involves exactly where you are right now, what you are doing, where you are living, what church you are attending, your group of friends, and any activities you are involved in at church. The evidence that your will is totally surrendered to God's will is that you are content with your present state and circumstances and are totally peaceful. If you are fretful and wishing you were somewhere else, or hungering for an improvement in your circumstances, then this shows that you are not content with God's will for you at this present time.

Paul said that no matter what circumstances he found himself in, whether prosperous or in poverty, in fruitfulness or tribulation, he has learned to be content. Whether a person is sick or well, has a productive job or on unemployment, whether on the leadership team at church or is being passed over, one has to be content with where one is at.

The bottom line is that if God wants you to have different circumstances, He will change them. Once, when I desired to be in the ministry, but had decided on secular employment instead and saying to my wife that maybe I decided on a wrong direction in life, she said, "If you were meant to be in the ministry, you would have been."

God is the potter and we are the clay, and the clay never tells the potter, "'Why have you formed me like this?" We need to trust God that our present circumstances is God's will for us, and contentment comes when we surrender to His will and live and work within our present circumstances.

Marriages, even Christian ones, fail and break up, because one of the partners cannot accept marital problems and tribulation that happens. Things don't turn out the way they hoped and one morning the spouse wakes up and thinks they have married the wrong person, and so he or she breaks their vows and goes off in search of a more suitable marriage partner. This is evidence of a person not surrendered to God's will.

Of course I am saying that a marriage partner should not tolerate a spouse who is violent, gambling away the money, alcoholic, or is cheating. That spouse has already broken the marriage vow and it may be vital for the innocent spouse's health to ditch the marriage. If the spouse finds him or herself single for a long period of time afterward, there must be contentment with that state. If God decides to bring along another marriage partner, that will be up to Him, and it will happen if He decides that is best for the person.

 

[Riot42]

Pray every day.
Read the word every day.
Focus on your personal relationship with God.
Do for others that are not just your family and friends.
Go to church.

We dont all have a calling in this life brother. Some of us are destined to be sheep, some of us have glorious purpose in the kingdom to come. Do the things above as we are called to do and God will move in your life.