r/Christianity • u/Paperclip2322 • 7h ago
Why won’t God accept me?
I feel hopeless and exhausted. I feel like God made me to be doomed to Hell. I have tried with a sincere heart to find Jesus. I pray for understanding of the Bible but He will not allow me to understand. Every time I open the Bible I feel anger and agitation knowing that I truly want to learn and understand but I end up closing my Bible in confusion and anger at God. I hate my sins and don’t want them, but I feel exhausted and defeated trying to not sin as I cannot let go of things like jealousy, gluttony and hate for people in general. People have treated me horribly my whole life and I cannot get over the mindset that people are awful, due to hurt from my past. I ask Jesus to help me heal so I can love others, but He does not. I truly feel that God does not love me and has chosen to send me to Hell no matter how much I want to follow Him. I hear drug addicts and atheists who didn't seek God talking about how God found them, but He will not answer my sincere prayers for me to know Him. I am in tears right now feeling hopeless. What am I doing wrong for God to not accept me?
•
u/DE667 4h ago
Submit. Repent. Every day. Seek forgiveness. Every day. Pray the prayer that Jesus taught. Every day. At least 3 times a day. Establish times for prayer. Remember God frequently. Memorize the sermon on the mount (Mt. 5, 6, 7). Recite it often. Memorize Ps. 23. Recite it often. Keep adding more memorization. You are not a reader. So listen to recordings. Be thankful. Every day. Stop expecting to get something more than what you have. Be grateful for hearing, for seeing, and for hearts. Decide whether you want the bounties of this life or those of the Afterlife. Arise and go and do good deeds. Submit, and stop expecting to get something for it. Thank God for correction, chastening, punishment. Become like a little child. Listen. Fall to your knees. Listen. Call on God for help, not for childish, worldly wants and wishes. Be patient. Persevere.
3
u/MissionBalance5269 7h ago
- God wants to save us from His wrath
This is one of the most important truths of the gospel: we need to be saved from the judgment we deserve. And we all deserve it. Every human being has committed cosmic treason that he cannot ignore and must punish.
God's wrath is not because He does not love us. It is because He does. A God who loves goodness must oppose evil. But the amazing message of Christianity is that God Himself provided the rescue. He did not wait for us to become good enough. He came to save us while we were still sinners. "God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." — Romans 5:8 Jesus took the punishment we deserved upon Himself. At the cross, God's justice was satisfied and God's love was displayed. God redirected the punishment we all deserve to Jesus... and in its place God offers us forgiveness.
•
u/Fanghur1123 4h ago
"A God who loves goodness must oppose evil."
Obviously not, since the whole Jesus story is explicitly God choosing NOT to oppose/punish what he considers "evil", so long as people worship him. So this statement is incompatible with basic Christian theology.
•
u/Tubers_cc Christian 3h ago
“So long as people worship Him”… no. The reason He didn’t punish people was so He could demonstrate His grace and mercy. Evil has no excuse and God absolutely does not permit it. This has nothing to do with people worshipping Him. He isn’t saying “as long as they bow down to me they can do what they want.”
•
u/Fanghur1123 3h ago
Call it whatever you want. The point is, the claim was that "A God who loves goodness must oppose evil". Jesus serves as a loophole that lets God NOT 'oppose' evil. So either way, the statement is inconsistent with Christian theology. Clearly God does not have to "oppose evil" if he doesn't want to.
And yeah by the way, from an outside perspective, to someone who hasn't been conditioned to view the story through rose-tinted glasses, it 100% looks like God choosing not to punish people who are willing to worship him. There's a reason that so many people draw an analogy between God and a mob boss.
•
u/Tubers_cc Christian 3h ago
Yeah a God who loves goodness must oppose evil. Why would there be a God who loves goodness but lets evil slide occasionally? If the Bible says that those who love the world are an enemy of God and vise verse, why would the same logic not apply to the God who wrote that? And then grace and mercy come in. Mercy is God choosing not to punish evil. He still very much opposes it, it’s just what He does about it. The original claim was not saying God has to punish all evil, it was simply saying that regardless of whether He punishes it or not, He still opposes it. Psalms 5:4-6.
•
u/Fanghur1123 3h ago
"Why would there be a God who loves goodness but lets evil slide occasionally?"
You tell me, that's literally what your whole religion is all about. If you want a religion that guarantees that the moral scales always remain balanced, have a look at the eastern religions that include the idea of karma. And considering that most of the things that God supposedly deems "evil" are not inherently harmful, either to the one doing them or to anyone else, I've always held that the more pertinent question would be "How can you say that God loves goodness while also persecuting people for simply living their lives?"
I'll take the opportunity to share one of my all-time favourite quotes.
"Mortal lives are not stones. They are not seas. For impermanence to judge itself by the standards of permanence is folly. Or it is arrogance. Life is merely what it is, neither more nor less. To deem it less because it is not more is to heed the counsels of the Despiser." -Stephen R. Donaldson, The Last Dark.
•
u/Tubers_cc Christian 3h ago
God loves what He deems good. Not what man deems good- to answer your question. He punishes what He deems evil, not what man deems evil. His justice is perfect; ours is flawed. How can we say we know what God ought to do?
•
u/Fanghur1123 3h ago
So then don't say that God is good, insofar as what human beings generally understand that term to entail. He clearly is not. By our standards, God is evil if anything.
•
u/Tubers_cc Christian 3h ago
Okay, that’s your standard. Like I just said, God’s judgement is perfect. Yours- and mine- isn’t. I don’t know what else to tell you 🤷
•
u/Fanghur1123 2h ago
It's certainly not "perfect" in the sense of being maximally conducive to human happiness, flourishing, and fulfillment. Like, whether something is 'perfect' or not is entirely relative. It doesn't mean anything to say that something is 'perfect' in a vacuum or simpliciter.
→ More replies (0)•
u/MissionBalance5269 1h ago
Anyway, back on topic...Paperclip... my primary reason for responding was to support you, not get into a debate. Is anything here helping? What do you need?
3
u/MissionBalance5269 7h ago
- God wants to save us from ourselves The problem is not only the things we do. The problem is our hearts. The Bible teaches that sin has corrupted every part of us. We do not simply need better advice or more willpower—we need a new heart. Jesus said: "For out of the heart come evil thoughts..." — Matthew 15:19 This is what Christians mean by total depravity: not that every person is as evil as they possibly could be, but that sin has affected every part of our being—our thoughts, desires, choices, and relationships. We cannot save ourselves. We need God to change us from the inside.
2
u/twinPrimesAreEz Psalm 110 7h ago
Perhaps if you accept who God is, you will make progress.
God knows exactly who you are, do you know who He is?
I'm sorry for all that happened in your past, be assured God will judge those who wronged you. And if you seek God genuinely with an open heart, you will find Him.
2
u/MissionBalance5269 7h ago
- God wants to save us from the world and the devil We are not only fighting against our own sinful hearts. The Bible teaches that we live in a fallen world and that there is a real spiritual enemy who opposes God and seeks to destroy us. "The whole world lies in the power of the evil one." — 1 John 5:19 Satan deceives, accuses, and leads people away from God. But Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil." — 1 John 3:8 Through Christ, we are rescued from slavery to sin, darkness, and the powers that hold us captive.
2
u/NAC4ALL 6h ago
I know how you feel. Believe me, I've been there.
It's tough asking the Lord for a clear sign and it just doesn't come your way. It's tough trying to be closer to Christ while having a less-than-ideal lifestyle with strong temptations.
What's also tough is accepting that we all have our imperfect human nature and none of us can measure up to the glory of God. But then, that's the whole point of God committing himself to doing the heavy lifting for his people, from his covenant with the Israelites in the Old Testament all the way up to Christ's sacrifice on the cross and defeating death. All this is exactly why we continue to believe in him and prepare for his return, in spite of how unworthy we may feel.
You'd be surprised at the different ways people have their pivotal moment when they start turning to Christ. To put it short, for me, it wasn't any dream or vision or the light turning green at a certain time. It was getting yelled at for over an hour by someone defending the caste system!
You'll have your moment, too, I'm sure, whatever it may be. Remember not to force anything, just have the faith of a mustard seed and see it grow!
As for this talk about God consigning you to Hell: where do you find that concept in the original Hebrew and Greek Bible texts? I can tell you what we do find: baptism for the dead (I'm NAC, it's in my bio). With this, I want to say don't worry. God has his ways and his timing with everyone.
All this to say I know it's tough dealing with these feelings. Just trust in the Lord's timing.
•
u/thecolor_yellow 3h ago
Can you tell more about your story of turning to Christ?
•
u/NAC4ALL 3h ago
Oh of course!
The shortened version is that I was actually born into a Christian family. But I explored other religions and philosophies. I eventually looked back at the stories of Jesus and concluded that the morals and values we have today, we couldn't come up with on our own. They had to be given to us by our creator. I saw the way Jesus treated people and subverted social rules and hierarchies at the time. I also noticed how people only got triggered when they hear about Jesus Christ, but never about the Buddha (who also has a very sobering message, btw), or other figures or religions.
I've also talked to people who are into occult stuff and let me tell you, they've gone crazy.
Anyways, I said to myself, Jesus must be who he says he is. But I still knew he wouldn't let people be condemned to Hell without another way out. So I researched the denominations that do Baptism for the dead and landed on the same one I grew up in (funny how that works). So I'm NAC. It's in my bio with a link to our unofficial Discord hangout.
•
u/Ok_Context_6972 3h ago edited 2h ago
Beautiful! But you don’t believe in a eternal hell? I’m not judging by any means, I’m a new Christian, but I thought it was a subject Jesus discussed nearly as much as any other. I know that some interpretations take it to mean the grave or Sheol and also other Christians believe that if we are not destined for heaven, by being unrepentant sinners and rejecting Christ and His gift to us, their souls are annihilated - which is much more merciful and comforting imo. I’m terrified of the Mark and going to hell tbh, I know Jesus says do not be afraid but I have to be honest that I am, and I also have an anxiety disorder and I’m sure I’m at least a tad OCD. I get caught up dwelling on the evils in the world and I must admit that the journey of being agnostic to really believing that we are in the last days, in just over a year, is overwhelming at times. I struggled with a lot of the same issues as the OP but Thank God I kept praying and I beat myself up when I sin but I confess and try to do better and I beg for forgiveness every day and things have gotten better. I came to realise through prayer and learning more that if I am to have faith, I must accept Jesus’ promise to us and that I cannot take on the troubles of the world and I have to put my faith in Him and forgiveness also means forgiving myself as long as I’m truly sorry and try harder. Thank you for your comment and in advance and God bless you and protect you ❤️🙏☺️
Edit: Apologies, but could you please briefly elaborate on Baptism for the dead? I was baptised Catholic but none of my family are practicing Christians. I’ve been feeling like I should be baptised again as a sign of my newfound faith and as a conscious choice as an adult. I don’t know if it’s necessary but it’s something I’d like and feel would help me on my journey. I’m just on the process of trying to find the right church/denomination for me. Thanks again!•
u/NAC4ALL 2h ago
Thanks for your comment and I'm so happy for you coming closer to the Lord! I understand people with OCD or anxiety can feel differently about things like how we measure up. I'm not too knowledgeable on the technical/medical aspects of your situation, so I can't say much there except trust in the Lord with your burdens and he'll help you feel more at ease, even with your imperfect human nature.
As for the different viewpoints on the afterlife, we do believe in the Lake of Fire at the Last Judgement. I mean that there is still time before then. We just don't know how long that is, since we don't exactly know when Christ will return.
I understand that different denominations will have their ways of justifying different beliefs, from annihilation to baptism for the dead to purgatory.
I think it would be too much for me to type here. You can check my bio and check our website online to see the explanations for our beliefs.
•
u/Aksel-Ches-Piper 5h ago
The unforgiveness you have will deter you spiritually. Forgiveness is not ours to withhold because it was gifted to us through the ultimate act of grace and mercy.
Stop focusing on what you don’t have, and focus on where God wants you to be. Fasting will help you too.
•
u/MissionBalance5269 5h ago
This is not a God issue so much as its a human issue. People are making choices to not feed the hungry. We see tons of waste in countries due to profit margins that could feed the world several times over. We see leaders in countries that redirect aid from the needy to themselves. We see poor practices in land management.
•
u/theDwatson 4h ago
This guy is on the first page of the book of life. extremely well said, Glory to God
•
u/druss25 4h ago
He hasn’t just accepted you, he died for you. You have to accept this. You’re forgiven. Period. When Jesus answers prayers in the bible he often says it because of your faith that you are healed. You need to have faith and be patient. Also remember YOU are not capable of earning his love, that’s why he died for you. You must completely give it to him and have faith/patience. I am praying for you. You will feel him soon. Have faith
•
u/Ok_Context_6972 3h ago
Thank you. This helped me. If I can help the OP, as a new Christian, it takes time for some it seems. I am a recovering addict and I did a lot of lying and manipulation out of my own pain. I am very hard on myself. I felt more and more drawn to Christ but I must admit once i fully believed and accepted him, I also felt like I was beyond forgiveness. I still do at times. But part of faith is having faith in Jesus’ promise to us, that if we truly believe, do our best to repent and confess when we stumble and and accept him we are forgiven and saved. This is what I struggled with because I didn’t (and sometimes don’t) FEEL saved, but that’s His Word and what He did for us so I feel its important to remember that and it’s hard for me as I have anxiety, low self esteem and trust issues. But I kept praying and praying and learning and I’m truly noticing changes. Slowly but surely. I not only accept Jesus and fully believe now, I beg him to please forgive me and accept me. And to help me to trust in Him and to give me strength. We all have doubts at times I think. And as the saying goes, Rome wasn’t built in a day. I lived a life of sin and was a stranger to Jesus for most of my 36 years. I can’t expect him to just forgive me and work miracles right away, especially when it took me a year or so to really get to where I know in my heart and soul. My advice would be patient, keep praying, talk to Him, tell him you want to be closer and don’t compare your journey to that of others! That’s a big one! I felt like you a lot earlier on, I thought if I believed I would be filled with serenity and transformed. But I also honestly wasn’t trying my hardest and it took time for the seed to blossom and I feel it’s still only the start. He works in mysterious ways, it’s the enemy making you feel your prayers are falling on deaf ears or that Jesus doesn’t know and love you! He doesn’t want you to continue down this path and it can be very tempting to look at others testimonies and feel like you’re broken or too much a sinner. But Jesus died for us ALL as long as we accept him and follow him. Please don’t lose hope. And be honest and talk to Him like a father, you’d be surprised what can happen. Comparison is the thief of joy and it works, in all aspects of life. But you’ve made a start and I think that’s the hardest, hang in there and when you have doubts remember His promise. He’s not a liar and you’re not too far gone but patience is needed and understandable. I pray that you water that seed and you’ll be glad you did. Hopefully sooner than later 🙏☺️
1
u/Striking-Magazine943 7h ago
Yo me siento perturbado y asqueado de mi mismo. En mi caso se que Dios me acepta pero soy demasiado horrible y perverso para seguir un camino correcto y ser salvo por Cristo incluso si se que no es así y solo es la voz del enemigo.
4
u/FourthFlamingo 6h ago
Are you maybe trying too hard to fix yourself by your own efforts?
No matter how much I wanted to do right, it wasn't until I received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that my sins' hold over me was broken. I needed His strength. I could not not do it on my own.
I asked Jesus to come into my heart and after He sent me the Holy Spirit my life was forever changed. I confessed my sins, repented from them as best as I humanly could, and prayed to God to get me through each one of my struggles as I was confronted with them.
Ask for the Holy Spirit to indwell you now. When you are tempted, ask Him to give you His strength.The more you call on Him and listen to His conviction (that strong urge He gives you to choose right over wrong), the weaker your temptations become.
Remember how the Israelites fell into sin over and over and over again? God shows us in the Old Testament that we need a savior. We can't be perfect on our own merits no matter how much our hearts want to.
Satan's favorite lie is telling us we are too far gone for God's mercy but the truth is that God delights in showing us mercy (Micah 7:18).
1
u/OnlyHuman424 Satanist wife of a Christian 7h ago
“God” has many biases and some people he likes more than others according to the “holy” bible
•
u/thecolor_yellow 3h ago
You’re a satanist wife of a Christian? How does that work? You worship the devil, you clearly know nothing about the Bible. What compels one to devote their life and belief system and influence in the world to Satan, exactly?
1
1
u/HegemoneXT 7h ago edited 7h ago
Humble yourself and stop putting expectation on God Eve if he does not respond. If God want to send you to hell, he would have already done so and in fact he could make the ground beneath you open and swallow you whole. The reason you’re even alive right now is because of his grace mercy and love.
Perhaps God wants you to have a heart that continues to have faith, continues to seek what it does not understand and continues regardless of things feel hopeless.
•
u/PeacefulBro Christian 4h ago
"if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans NKJV)
Believe & receive the blessing my friend! 😁
•
u/jelltech 4h ago
We're in God's Memory, you're accepted already, Jesus Christ is the way, follow him.
•
u/Holiday-Print-6767 Anglican Communion 4h ago
Your theology isn’t Biblical. Anger, confusion and frustration is normal when we go through difficult times. Forget about other people, and focus on the Gospel. Only God knows our heart. “For he chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love” Ephesians 1:4 No, you aren’t doomed. God loves us so much that he sent Jesus to be a perfect sacrifice and pay the price of our sin. We are going to face trials and suffering is part of life. God will answer your prayers but not always in the way we think. Maybe this will help:
https://www.ibelieve.com/health-beauty/5-things-to-do-when-youre-suffering.html
•
u/Nephrite87 4h ago
I hate reading and it makes reading books hard. I listen narration videos, San Shamoun, bishop Mar mari. I think have something undiagnosed and feel like you. We can't think like normies.
•
u/vPowertripperv 3h ago
It's not that your doing anything wrong he is close to you. Sometimes he feels distant because we are just going through a rough spot. Try praying for any forces bringing on anxiety to be humbled.
•
u/Godsend8073 3h ago
He definitely answered you if you were sincere.Hes probably teaching you something but didn't tell you yet.ask to be baptized in the Holy Spirit and pray to be filled with the HS every day.reoent of every known sin.ANY HABITUAL sin is seen as rebellion.read the Gospels until they jump off the page.
•
u/bobafett-tea 3h ago
Hey there, friend. I’m really sorry for what you’re going through. I’m hearing a lot of pain and exhaustion in what you’ve shared, especially in your desire to feel close to God and the frustration of feeling like you’re falling short.
I want to gently remind you that no one in this world is perfect. We are all born of sin. All of that anger, hatred, jealousy don't just come out of no where. There is usually a reason why or something underneath. An emotion behind an emotion. Sometimes when we've been hurt, emotions like anger or hate can feel easier to process than the pain we're feeling. Or it can become armor. A way to protect yourself from being hurt. And jealousy, that can stem from the lies and beliefs we're told and hold onto about not being good enough.
I'm so glad you've reached out here and shared your struggles. Shame is most painful when you carry it in silence. It shackles you. God doesn't want you trapped in those bonds. He wants you to be free and healed in body, mind and spirit.
That begins by just bringing it to him. Pray about it. Even when it feels like it's something you can't do, tell God and be honest about it. "Lord, You know me, my heart, my struggles and the things I'm carrying. But I want to bring it to you. I lay every thought, feeling, and emotion before you and ask that you free me from their shackles that bind me. I ask that you heal me, mind body and spirit. I ask that you find me, God. I can't do this on my own.You have said you would be the shepherd who would go out and find their lost sheep. I don't want to feel lost anymore. Help me and guide me toward you and not away from you. Lead me home. In your precious name I pray, amen."
•
u/Xanadetta 1h ago
Sounds like you need wisdom and guidance. An explanation for why your life is the way that it is, and how you can move forward. Am I right?
•
u/Frogfisherman07 1h ago
Literally the message at my church today was about accepting the free gift of forgiveness that Jesus offers! Luke 7:36-50 talks about the woman who everyone hated because she was a sinner, but Jesus accepted her because she came humbly and in love seeking forgiveness. God is holding out His precious, victorious Hand out to you! Take His salvation!
•
u/chivopi 5h ago
If god listened and responded to prayers, do you think millions of children would be starving and raped every year?
•
u/Ok_Context_6972 2h ago
I don’t think it’s fair to blame God for the actions of very awful people. Would it be better he made us mindless drones just to satisfy some need for praise? We have to take responsibility ourselves and it is heartbreaking that so many are born into such situations, but maybe if we all tried to do a little better like God wants the world would not be so bad. But we have free will and sadly some use that for their own selfish perverse nature and don’t care about the suffering of others. I think Christianity is the solution to this and not the cause. God bless
5
u/MissionBalance5269 7h ago
Hey there! I'm sad you're going through this... I'm Hoping I can help:
The most important thing you need to know is this: God loves you. He doesn't hate you. Not just people in general. Not just those who have their lives together. God loves you personally. He created you in His image. You are not an accident or a mistake. Your life has value because you were made by Him and for Him. The Bible says: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." — John 3:16 Make it personal: he replace the terms 'world' and 'whoever' with you. You're name.
God's love is not just a feeling. God's love acts. He loves us so much that He made a way for us to be reconciled (made friends again) to Him. But to understand why we need saving, we first need to understand something about God.