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What Does the Bible Say About..How to Want To Follow God?

This time I was kind of wondering if you had any ideas on how to help me. Lately, for the last like forever, my relationship with Christ isn't going so well. In fact I'm falling and falling and I don't know why. I was just wondering, is there anything I can do, and why is this happening? I used to have the best relationship with God and now it's like I'm way too lazy to read the Bible. I don't want to pray cause I'm too tired. I don't say grace before a meal and I drag myself to church. Even when I go to church I practically zone out when its time for the pastor to talk. Everything is going so wrong! I hate it. Sorry for always bogging you down with my stupid concerns and questions. Its just I have too hard of a time talking to my pastor because I have to see him all the time and I feel like he can judge me and I don't want to ask him a stupid question. Well, thanks for your time and if you want me to stop asking you questions please just say so, because I don't want to be sending stuff that you don't want.

Answer

I have no objection to you asking me questions, and this is an important one. However, if there is nobody in your congregation to whom you could speak about this, then maybe it is time to find a new congregation. One of the joys of Christianity is knowing you are in a family of people who will not condemn you but support you. They can't afford to condemn because they are also people who know what sin can do to a life and have determined not to let it happen to them. If nobody there loves enough to accept and help then it may be time to find others who are more Christ-like. I say that with some reservations because I don't know the people there and it may be that there are many who would be willing to help you, perhaps even some feeling just as you do.

When one is depressed in their Christian walk, how does one come out of that depression? I am not a psychologist, or even a trained counselor in such matters, and would suggest that you might see such a professional or a doctor to rule out physical or other causes that might affect more than just your spiritual life. If you are too tired, there may be physical problems, or you may just have to spend less time in other things that tire you out.

The Bible does give a prescription for such a problem as yours. It is not necessarily an easy one, though. "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you." (James 4:7-8) This says to me that if you continue to study God's word and pray to him you will find it easier to read His word and pray. The more you seek God, especially when you don't feel like it, the closer you will grow to Him.

There are times I don't want to go to work, but I do it anyway. There are times I don't want to go to God, but those are the times it is more important to do so. Jesus said in Matthew 6:33, "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness." If we do this, then we will find it easier to love God more, and also to do our own work eagerly.

Another thing that often helps is to ask others to pray for you and with you. It is a lot easier to approach God when you aren't doing it alone but with others that love you. We don't have to face all our problems alone.

I hope this helps.