After 5.5 years of "really" being a Christian, i suffered a major depression in the middle of this year. It seemed everything --- relationships, school, finances, ministry --- suddenly disintegrated. In the midst of all this, i felt the absence of God. (When God regularly speaks, His silence is deafening.)
i felt that the logical thing to do, of course, was to go (back) atheist. "Well, since I don't sense Him anymore..."
Anymore...?
Any more...
i just conceded that i did sense Him in the past.
i just acknowledged that God *is* real, that i just need Him so much, that ultimately it is His will that shall be done.
i finally realized why He kept on saying before that He will never leave me nor forsake me. Back then, i just felt like an irritated A+ student repeating an entire grade ("Yes, I already know that...!").
i finally realized that back then, faith for me was trusting in my Heavenly Daddy King who lavished His prodigal-princess-who-came-back. (Not much of a spiritual struggle there.)
...And that now, faith literally is holding on to the unseen. When there are no blessings and only burdens...when it seems God only gives out burdens, or when it seems that there is no God at all...
Atheists, agnostics, doubters, non-Christians, and even Christians have endless questions about God. Continue to seek. God promises, "If you seek Me with all your heart, you will find Me." "God is spirit, and He seeks worshipers who worship in spirit and truth."
Now, more than ever, i see that faith is not blind. Faith is about holding on to the God we already know. The God who is in control of all things. The God who is full of goodness. The God whose promises are always fulfilled.
For me to go back now to atheism would be the stupidest thing i could do.
And by the way, i am starting to sense Him once again. Not as much as before, but at least i'm on the road back.
And the smile is back too :) (yay.)
Go, ate Teci!! :D
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jica! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment on my blog. Wow! All the way from the Philippines! This is a great post. I am Christian too. I think sometimes Heavenly Father wants us to rely on our feelings and answers we've received in the past. That is the real test- if we will hold strong to them with the passage of time.
ReplyDeleteFeel free to stop by my blog anytime. I like your blog too!
Take care and Merry Christmas! -Anna (fowlerfam.blogspot.com)
"The letters, many of them preserved against [Mother Teresa's] wishes, reveal that for the last nearly half-century of her life she felt no presence of God whatsoever."
ReplyDeletehttp://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1655415-1,00.html
hi. napadaan lang. happy holidays :)
Happy New Year guyz! :) Welcome 2009!
ReplyDeleteTo Anna and the rest of the Fowlers: Continue to honor God in your love for each other :) Will drop by again sometime :)
Garro: oy! i don't think i've seen you since we graduated! :D
Yeah, i've heard about Mother Teresa's "dark night of the soul" as well. Thankfully, in God's "absence" and my consequent missing Him, i've learned so much more about Him and my faith in Him has grown as well :)
See you around :) And let's fasten our seatbelts for the great year ahead!