I've lost my moral compass

[Praetorian]

I just don't respond to Christian values like I once did. I don't really care if something is biblical or not. I smoke, and drink. Go to a bar? Sure. I swear in casual conversation. My standards with women have definitely changed.

I'm tired of holding myself to such a high standard. I'm sick of having to perform so well. I'm more of hedonist than anything right now and I don't feel guilty about it at all.

Is this a phase? How do you recover good values? What's the point? God loves me anyway, right?

 

[Llauralin]

So... if you don't feel guilty at all, why do you want to try to change?

 

[Llauralin]

In more detail...

I just don't respond to Christian values like I once did.

What values do you "respond to"? Any? If so, why? If not, what keeps you from becoming a total creep?

I don't really care if something is biblical or not.

Mmm... Not good... do you care if it's of God or not? Do you believe, I mean *really* believe in God?

I smoke,

So does my dad, and he very much "responds to Christian values." Some people don't believe it to be a sin.

and drink.

So does my priest. And my dad. And me, sometimes. Just try not to get drunk, 'cause that's stupid.

Go to a bar? Sure.

Yeah. If what you're doing there is alright (have a couple of beers and enjoy the music or somesuch) then alright.

I swear in casual conversation.

Not ideal, but more an indication of lack of imagination than real malice.

My standards with women have definitely changed.

*Frowns* In what way?

I'm tired of holding myself to such a high standard. I'm sick of having to perform so well. I'm more of hedonist than anything right now and I don't feel guilty about it at all.

Perhaps that has something to do with your standards being somewhat arbitrary and petty? 'Cause half the things you just mentioned may not even be sins, and none of them get at the underlying discontent that produced them. Without knowing what that was it's a difficult issue to address.

Is this a phase? How do you recover good values? What's the point? God loves me anyway, right?

Hard to know without more info.

Pray!

Blessed are you, oh Lord; teach me your commandments!

 

[Beauty4Ashes]

no need for me to respond after Llauralin's post. well said.

 

[maze77]

I fell that way a long time ago. I got into quite abit of stuff I shouldn't have been in, Which lead to not caring about my previous morals one bit.
Trust me, the guilt catches up with you!
I said the same things you are saying now. Everything just began to feel completly shallow. I ended up in complete misery.
One day I said to myself, this isn't the life God intended for me, haven't looked back since. Don't get me wrong it wasn't easy. It was and is all about sacrifice, Jesus died for us, and all the garbage I have given up doesn't even add up to that.
It's a long road, and sometimes it seems like one strech of road just seems to go on forever. Don't turn around or just pullover, theres lots of turns a dips ahead to make it interesting, and more than enough to see.
Pray about and keep praying about it.
God love us all!
Keep looking up, not at your feet.
Good luck Praetorian, and God Bless

 

[Babymine]

You havent lost your moral compass, you are just choosing at this point not to look at/listen to/respond to it. Realize that.
Moral compasses do not get lost.
You wouldnt care that you might not have one if you did not have one.

 

[Hitch2astar]

I'm tired of holding myself to such a high standard.

If you think keeping a few basic rules (general ones like you mentioned) and being decent in general is such a high standard... you really havent seen a truly high standard. But then, it really isnt your fault that you havent but of the Christian body on the whole. Most of us are failing to live His way and are not holding up the standard of Christ in our lives.

God should be your standard brother. And with Jesus, was there ever a question of him drinking, smoking etc? There was no point in even discussing such things where he was concerned. There's a long way for us to go.

"I'm sick of having to perform so well."

You think living the Christian life is hard. Just try not "performing so well" and see where you end up. You'll end up in the pit of hell in your personal and spiritual life. The moment we compromise with the world, and the more we try to live as a worldling, we put ourselves outside of God's protection (since Satan esp. hates a Christian and is out to get him/her) and invite darkness and ruin into our lives. I do speak as one who knows.

"If the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness"...

 

[fraggable]

I'm betting you will eventually wake up one morning and discover that you are miserable and have nothing to look forward to to make you happy, and realize what you've done to yourself.

It's not about holding yourself to a high standard, it's about common sense. You don't drink because it leads to losing control of your actions, you don't smoke because it's suicide and shortens your lifespan, not to mention it stinks and bothers others. You don't cuss because it's rude and offensive to others ad shows a lock of understanding of basic communication skills. Standards in women dropping? Maybe you'll end up with an STD if you go far enough.

Sure it's all in the Bible but do you even need it to tell you?

 

[HoosierCanuck]

I can kind of relate. I sometimes think "why wait for a Christian guy? They'll never think I'm good enough anyway. I'm no where NEAR Prov. 31!" I want to be myself...not what someone THINKS I should be. I always feel like I have to be 'serious' around Christian guys. I'm NOT a serious person! grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!! There are times when I do my best to ignore 'what's right' too. I can't say it's been my best decision in life but it's life. We're human. Anyone who is 100% disciplined....I'd like to know their secret.

 

[intricatic]

The reason that happens, generally, is that the actual meaning behind the standard becomes lost in the confusion of trying to maintain it. The best way to regain it is to find the meaning that it once held, instead of the empty shell of action without purpose. You can "do" the Christian thing, but until you want what's required for it, you can't enjoy the benefits of it.

For what reason did you originally come to hold those standards? What do they mean to you that hedonism should be more important now?

 

[stormgade4]

I just don't respond to Christian values like I once did. I don't really care if something is biblical or not. I smoke, and drink. Go to a bar? Sure. I swear in casual conversation. My standards with women have definitely changed.

I'm tired of holding myself to such a high standard. I'm sick of having to perform so well. I'm more of hedonist than anything right now and I don't feel guilty about it at all.

Is this a phase? How do you recover good values? What's the point? God loves me anyway, right?

You = Me during September - December 2005.

Happens to the best of us. Just don't lose faith, God lets us loose sometimes but if you still have an once of faith, he'll bring you back to him eventually.

 

[RED that's ME]

Paul wrote about going through spiritual times himself...

For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing." Romans 7:19

Do you want it to stay this way and what are you willing to do to change it?
We all go through phases at times in our live and it's important to do self-examinations and check our spiritual lives out.
God doesn't let us go long with unrepented lives. Just like a father of a rebellious child who will discipline their child, God as our Heavenly Father is not different. Spiritual spankings are no fun.

Hebrews 12
[SIZE=+0]1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+0]5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:
“ My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
6 For whom the LORD loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives. 7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+0]
[/SIZE]What can we do to make it right?
Repent
I John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness
1 John 2:1-2 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
Why make it right?
To restore our relationship with God. God also says, he won't hear our prayers with unrepentant lives.

If I regard wickedness in my heart, The Lord will not hear; Psalms 66:18

 

[soda]

god loves you anyway.

I'm sorry you feel that way right now. never forget that faith is more than feelings. faith and faithfulness within jesus is more than a phase and no matter what... he loves you dearly.

have a blessed day
soda