Do you ever feel ashamed of opportunistically go back to God

Today has I was sitting in the ER for over 12 hours, absolutely terrified, I started seeing signs that God was with me and I gave him praise and prayed. After many tests and waiting on the doctor’s diagnostic the answer finally came. I could leave, My vital organs and signs were perfect. Not gonna get into details but the symptoms couldve easly been something that wouldve turned fatal.



Then a few thoughts came to my mind as I was driving back home.

Did I just go to God because I was scared or did I truly have faith? Should I not be ashamed to ignore God for years then when Im terrified I might die turn to him and beg for help. Ive always believed in God thats the worse part, I just rarely gave attention to him except to thank him for my son at least once a week.

For the non believer this is just me being scared and come up with a way to deal with the fear.

But for the believers out here, how do you cope with this shame I feel right now?

a reply to: Kalsek

how do you cope with this shame I feel right now?

send me $15000 USD [ tax deductible ] and i shal bear your shame for you

a reply to: ignorant_ape
In the past when I was practicing if you might say, it was always very private. God and I , mostly me just thinking the things I want him to know. Ive never liked or been part of any religious organization or denomination, so forget the 15k $$$

a reply to: Kalsek


Sometimes occurrences like that are wake-up calls, so there is no need for feeling ashamed for turning back to God, but I it would not be wise take the situation for granted. I'm assuming you're a believer in Christ. If so, then use 1John 1:9, and take the issue up with God personally. You'll find resolution for the underlying issue.

Jeremiah 3:12 'Return, faithless Israel,' declares the LORD; 'I will not look upon you in anger. For I am gracious,' declares the LORD; 'I will not be angry forever.

a reply to: Kalsek

God is like a good loving father, He loves any attention from His children
There is a story of a prodigal son, arms always wide open, begging to love you

Always there, always ready, it's your shame that turns you away from God, it's never Him

a reply to: Kalsek

I am no religious type but as of recent I have been praying to something greater than I.
I have also been meditating in the mornings and some times at nights.
I deal with my shame as I do with past mistakes. You learn and move on and never make the same again. So far that has worked for me but I cannot speak for my future nor for you. But recognizing it always a step in the right direction.
So right now I will send a thought your way before I attempt to rid myself of my thoughts.

May the force be with you!

originally posted by: ignorant_ape
a reply to: Kalsek

how do you cope with this shame I feel right now?

send me $15000 USD [ tax deductible ] and i shal bear your shame for you

Jesus already did that, for free

a reply to: Kalsek

I do not deal with shame, because I feel none.

God is there, whether I bother him with my problems or not, he knows them, whether I consciously praise him, or simply get it done as part of the process of living is immaterial to him as it is to me. All that matters is that when it is necessary, you do not call out to the darkness, but to the light. That's how I see it anyway.

a reply to: TrueBrit

I also found talking to God sort of pointless, its more like a prayer of feeling since I figured he already knows what I want to say better than I can say it.

a reply to: Allaroundyou

Thanks all for the replies so far but your answer in particular touched me, felt you were beside me telling me it lol. Thanks allaround

a reply to: Kalsek

You are very welcome.

a reply to: Kalsek

Precisely.

I do more actual communication with God while watching physics documentaries and reading astronomy updates, than most folk manage when they are sat on a pew, hands clenched in front of them, pleading verbally with a being whose method of communication is instantaneous and non-lingual. He knew what you felt before you felt it. He knew what you would say before your brain even arranged your thoughts through its linguistic centres.

When you experience wonder, when you experience awe, when you experience delights, whether simple or complex, whether it be the fascination a person might have over the precise and beautiful movements of a figure skater, the dance of the planets around the Sun, or the simple amazement at the appearance of a lovely flower, or an interesting leaf, those are the moments when I find myself most in communion with the almighty. When I am peeking under the hood of the universe and figuring out where all the leads and pipes connect, when I am looking deeper, and learning things that take my breath away, that's when I feel his hand on my shoulder the most, like I am standing before all creation, and he is just there, reassuring hand on shoulder, encouraging me to peer closer and experience a new depth of perception.

a reply to: Kalsek

I think you are correct, as a non believer this would be a coping mechanism, which in some cases would lead on to the person becoming a believer.

It is a fickle trait of humans that when in danger we turn to a God, we'll pray to just about anything if it indicates to ensure our safety.

They say there are no athiast in fox holes where soldiers are dug into the ground and in the heat of battle.

I believe the reason is because any second could be their last. Adrenalin pumping, stress and tension soars, bullets flying, bombs igniting and they pray to anything they think will listen.

Its normal to cry out in desperate situations even if no one hears. Maybe there is help there! Maybe not! Who knows?

I believe there is a spiritual realm inhibited by different spiritual creatures. I'm not sure how much they can help a physical being though.

You don't see the wind nor radio waves but they are there.

I don't believe there is a God.
Why does your inevitable end cause you to turn to something non-existent?

We'll all die one day, better to accept it now

a reply to: Kalsek

"Signs from God". How do you know you were not being self-delusional and it was actual God out-there?

You should not be ashamed of being afraid. Being afraid is an opportunity to be courageous and brave.

It's funny to me the people who are most afraid are the very same ones who have the least amount of faith. It seems to me if you have strong faith then why would you be afraid of anything that happens in life.

a reply to: TrueBrit

Watching physics documentaries will make you drink too much!

originally posted by: Kalsek
a reply to: TrueBrit
I also found talking to God sort of pointless, its more like a prayer of feeling since I figured he already knows what I want to say better than I can say it.

Every time I've ever tried to talk to God he's never answered back with His own voice. All I ever hear is the sound of my own tinnitus. Sort of the same way when I try to move objects with my mind. Nothing ever happens.

a reply to: dfnj2015

Hah! I would love to say that I have never consumed scientific media contributions while under the effects of a psychoactive chemical, but that would be entirely false.

That being said, I have never had a drink purely because I was absorbing physics. I have, however, found myself with a drink, and thought to myself a quarter of the way through one "Damn... I could definitely engage in something nerdy right about now!".

Do you ever feel ashamed of opportunistically go back to God

I hate to recommend self flagellation and absolute emotional despair, but it's always worked for me.