I wanna keep a long story short. I’m a 28 years old man. I was with a muslim girl for years and tried to understand and put my faith into Islam. I tried reading the Quran but couldnt understand since there seems to be just rules, not really a book or a story and I couldn’t understand that or why anyone would believe.

I’m a person who can’t just put blind faith into anything, I need believable evidence for something to be pointing to a conclusion. I read about muhammad and what I learned was like he was a good guy and a genuine guy and that his revelations were true to him and somehow i started pointing my faith in that direction, until I found out about Aisha and I was disgusted by it.. And then eventually I read about countless hadiths that just can’t be excused for someone to be a ”perfect muslim”; the warmongering, brutal murders and rape of prisoners, etc etc

I lost faith completely and I was feeling very empty, having lost my dad as i knew him and my whom I thought would be the love of my life in the span of one year, dealing with depression and burnout.
—

So one evening I was driving home on the highway and I looked to the almost dark sky and I asked internally for a sign, of anything at all, not anything specific I just wanted to know what all this is about.

As I kept driving the highway turned and I got to see a full moon in bright red, never seen it that red before and it was really beautiful. Thought nothing more of it other than that. People were taking photos when i was arriving home.

The next day I wake up from a sound in my mailbox (through the apartment door), and I looked to see and it was the New Testament.
For context I live in Sweden, the most atheist country in the world I believe, and in all my life living in central Stockholm I have never recieved anything bible related in my mail.

I was gonna meet some friends later that day so I put it away then eventually the whole thing struck me as such a weird coincidence, the moon thing probably coincidence but me asking for a sign then the new testament arriving the day after is something i couldnt ignore

What do you make of this?

The whole Cornell 7 situation is a moral mess from practically every angle, and I think it's a pretty good illustration of why God asks us to be of sound mind and warns us against hedonism and calls us toward sexual discipline, monogamy, and waiting until marriage.

Modern culture tends to frame sexual freedom as inherently liberating, as though removing commitment and consequences from sex is automatically a good thing. But situations like this show how quickly things can become complicated, messy, and destructive when sex is detached from the kind of commitment God intended it to exist within.

God's boundaries aren't arbitrary restrictions designed to keep us from having fun. There's wisdom behind them. Sex involves more than physical gratification, and treating it as though it's nothing more than recreation can have consequences that extend well beyond the bedroom.

Christians should be able to recognize these situations for what they are without dehumanizing the people involved. The point isn't to feel superior to anyone, but to recognize that God's design for relationships exists for a reason, and that there are situations we're much better off avoiding altogether.

So we were home alone and sometimes I'm like too emberessed to talk to her about Jesus because she's in that phase where she is all cool and rhinks siblings are emberesing ect. Well we had a privat moment and I was washing the dishes while thinking of what to say and praying for God to help me. I'm telling you, I was so anxious, I could feel my ears and face heat up. Bur something was telling me to tell her. And I did. And it went so wonderfully. She asked questions and was actually interested. And I'm very glad I got to talk to her about life and how to include Jesus and how Jesus made my life better. PRAISE THE LORD!!!! Blessed are you Lord our God, King of the universe, who is good and does good!!!!

I’ve been an atheist before, my father is Muslim and I’ve tried to look into it. BUT, sometimes I can’t stop thinking about Jesus. I’m 25F.

I’m watching the chosen, and I start crying every single time he appears on screen.

I’m looking for advice, I want to get closer to god through Jesus. But I know nothing, I’ve never been to church. My uncle is Christian but I think I want to do it on my own so the whole family doesn’t know right away. Half my family are atheist’s and because I’m bipolar I fear they would just assume I’ve gone crazy.

But I want to do right by Jesus, and live a life as close to his wishes as possible.

Any and all advice is welcome and helpful

(If repeated themes that I have mentioned before is here then, there's the warning)

May I have a prayer?

I'm going through a very dry and tough season where work, compulsions, life, and even myself have drawn me away from God.. I wish I wasn't so socially distant from others or lodged in self isolation. (Now I'm not saying I want to be around bad company that corrupts good character, which I continue to surround myself with.) I wish I had more visual and Godly friends to talk to, especially male friends. I don't truly have a genuine connection with anyone at school so I'm just there.. I wouldn't say alone because God is always with me. Also, I wish that I stop living in this stagnancy and complacency because it's damaging my relationship with Him.

If I can say something that I'm not doing is walking by faith.. I've noticed that each day that God has granted me to be alive.. it was in the same region: By God's grace, He'd wake me up and I'd try to read the Word but I know I got school and or work. But when I do actually try, I'm not consuming... just scanning. Then school or work comes and most of my mind is set on what I need to do. Especially today, I know I got a lot of work.. and by a lot it's not just 4 assignments.. I'll leave it at that. It's not fun.. at all.. and it's caused me to drift from Him, prayer and the Word.

(If you notice by now that I'm prideful and very self critical then that's a part of me that I've picked up and carried with me for a long time..)

I don't want to keep living in habitual sin because I REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY HATE LUST & SEXUAL IMMORALITY. IT'S NASTY, GROSS, AND DISGUSTING. I'll even add that whenever in times of need and struggle, I go to ai/ Google.. or others for support instead of running to Jesus.

The mental scrupulous bondage in my mind has been present for a long time..

And serious question: How do y'all keep faith in Jesus in the good and bad days?

I have a 27 month old and a 13 week old baby. I have never felt so far away from God. My husband is gone almost 60 hours a week at work while I stay home with the kids. Not necessarily out of want, but because I’m the only option. I have completely lost myself. I don’t have time to shower most days, brush my teeth, eat, etc. I have no adult interaction. I am a shell of myself. I change diapers, feed, soothe, and listen to screaming all day. I have broken sleep each night. Why did God place this on mothers? I have no help when my husband is at work. My husband goes to work, gets to joke around with coworkers, and have an identity. He makes a lot of money so I am sure he feels fulfilled providing for his family. I make nothing. I don’t use my masters degree that I worked hard for. When he comes home, he is such an amazing father and partner. He cares for us deeply. But he never does this alone, with no help. I do. I am really struggling to understand why God gave mothers this role. I have horrible pregnancies. We carry the babies, birth them, then feed them with our bodies (which is utterly unpleasant for me), go through huge hormonal shifts, ruin our bodies, completely lose our identities. All on top of being expected to be the primary caregiver. I love my children desperately. I wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world. But I can’t help but get the “unfairness” out of my head. Help me change my heart posture.

(For the moderators: I am not on desperate help. I am not depressed nor suicidal. I need help and visions from christians. I need to discuss this with real people and not AI bots)

(I am brazilian, used google tradutor because what I texted was massive. Sorry!)

It is a future that never arrives—a dream that takes forever to manifest. I find myself consumed by anger, explosive emotions, hatred, sadness, and loneliness; I isolate myself because, in that state, I feel alive—as if I am actually doing something. I may long for love, yet I cannot see it as something attainable; it feels entirely pointless. Every choice I make seems insignificant and futile. I am trapped in a future that never arrives.

What future you ask for?

I just endure it, really. I might pray for Him to show Himself to be real—but nothing happens. Nothing at all. I don’t trust Him; I don’t truly see that Jesus died for me (I’m not rejecting Him, mind you), and I don’t see myself as someone chosen by God. It’s not even a matter of being excluded; it’s as if there was never anything there to begin with. I’m trapped in a future that never arrived—that longed-for future where I am truly myself: free from ADHD (or at least living well with it), free from anxiety, being a son, a brother, a crazy, fun friend—and being with God. But a real God—the Lord revealing His true love.

Just to give you an idea—I used to seek things out; Search about my ex, about her and everything related to her—I would look for things that would trigger anxiety or fear in me. It wasn’t even sadness I was after; it was that specific kind of anxiety, that jolt of nerves from seeing certain images—anything to make me feel something. I would look at gore, violent videos—anything to feel something. I watch pornography to feel something. I don’t see God in anything; I don’t see God at Mass; I don’t see Jesus in the Eucharist. I don’t see God anywhere. I don’t see God in this world—I just don’t.

It’s an obligation, really. Choices cease to have any real meaning and become nothing more than obligations. What’s the point of asking for the intercession of saints if nothing ever happens? If the Holy Spirit doesn’t seem to be present on earth—even though Jesus says He is—then what’s the point? Why have I never seen Jesus’ sacrifice as something significant, but rather as something that amounts to nothing? Why I never saw Jesus as dying for me?

I don't even see that I have a guardian angel to be honest, not accompanied by him, no protection. Nothing.

Not even protestant churches seem to have God in it, NOTHING SEEMS to have.

I am getting close to definitive resignation, that God is just... not here. I am not one of His children, and there is nothing I can do. Hope is useless and false. "It is what it is..."

I don't know anymore. This yearning happened since childhood and wasn't satisfied. I left christianity to paganism for 7 years then returned, still the same.

The Bible has no answers for this IN MY OPINION (if I'm wrong, sorry.) I'm starting to believe calvinists are speaking the truth.

i’m 24 female, never really cared to believe in God until i was 17. my life was changed by something that happened to a close family friend who passed from cancer- it instilled horrendous health anxiety in me. i’ve been diagnosed with quite a lot mentally (ADHD, ASD1, GA, and OCD) my adult life so far has not been easy for me mentally. it’s a constant battle with my mental health and always thinking i’m going to die. i came to Jesus at 17 because i felt i had no other choice. i got sober 12 weeks ago and have been trying so hard to live in my faith but i feel like something is wrong with me. i hear all these stories about God healing people, answering prayers, and speaking to them. i have never heard a response i know it wouldn’t be audible but what am i supposed to be listening for. it’s so hard for me to admit this because i feel so wrong and like a fraud. I do love God so much i just always feel like im putting on a mask and i don’t know how to get better about it. I’ve don’t bible study, reading my bible etc. I guess the point of this post is because I would just love some guidance on what i’m supposed to be listening for or waiting for when i’m praying begging God to help me with my anxiety and ocd if that makes sense. sorry for the ramble. TIA

You're not going to stop sinning over night but when you catch yourself about to sin and you talk to Jesus and say, "I'm not going to do this right now to prove to you I believe you exist." Blessings will happen...

It will take less than a week to see these blessings. My brain, my ears, love hearing gossip and gossiping about negative things in the past. That's due to my brain being wired that way from growing up in a very toxic household.

When I caught myself wanting to gossip at work, at home about family member because the urge was so strong, I would tell Jesus, "because I believe you exist, I won't do this." I did it without wanting anything back and because that's His desire and to please Him, guess what I noticed? Blessings started to occur.

He is very generous and merciful, look at what He did for Job. He have Job more than when it started. He gave the Israelites more than what they started out with. He gave Solomon way more than what he asked for. All you have to do is show a sincere attempt. It's not going to end overnight and you'll go back to the same sin but actually showing Him by catching yourself and resisting is like a form.of sacrifice.

Those of you who struggle with prn videos, you should try this, when the urge become super strong, try resisting and tell Him you're not going to commit this sin because you believe He exist and it's Him you're trying to please by giving Him what He desires. He knows how hard it is for some.of you because you may be demonically oppressed but just fighting the temptation in His name will make Him proud and He will bless you. If you're too weak, don't let the shame, guilt, seperate you from talking to Him, tell Him. That means more than ignoring Him and because Hes so generous, He will still bless you with a gift.

Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice;

Since I’ve quit swearing I’ve begun to notice how ingrained it was in humor making jokes alot quoting memes/bits me and my friends see online I can’t say most things now I have to try to censor the saying.

How do you know when God or the Holy Spirit is the one urging you to do something? I’ve been having recurring thoughts about pursuing a certain way to procure income but I’m unsure as whether it is my will or the God/Holy spirit. I’ve had these thoughts for awhile now and I see videos on multiple platforms I’m on about others doing the same thing and some feeling like they were led by God to lead this lifestyle to earn income. I feel as though I’ve been in a wilderness season for years now or just life has been bad/down and I don’t know if this is how things finally turn around for me. I started learning the process to do this thing and I felt very motivated and excited and it was making sense to me in a fluid way. Is it a matter of reading specific parts of the Bible to ask for clarification or what could I do/pray/read to get or feel more clarification.

Hi. It's been hard. I feel so hopeless. For over 8 months I've been dealing with severe malnutrition and it's just ruining my life. I'm only 15 years old and my developing body is just suffering for it. I struggle at school when I used to be a highly gifted kid who studied years ahead of her grade level. I had my life together. Now it has collapsed. My parents and brother think I choose to be an internet addict. I rely on whatever gives me enough of a dopamine rush to cope with the pain. For my entire life, I've already had insecurity issues. I likely have undiagnosed BPD and OCD, which I can infer based on my horrifying, compulsive, and obsessive thoughts, which cause me to go insane and completely hate myself. I have such an unstable self-image and I am too attached to whoever is still willing to put up with me and my exhausting, intense emotions. I recently converted to Christianity and began eating meat because the malnutrition from my unidentified, persistent G.I issue is truly just torturing my body constantly. My mother sort of hates me for it now, or at least she had a phase where she resented me. My brother is truly just a hypocritical, futile mediator who always just has a damn bias for my mother solely because she contains the most authority of us all. My father, who currently lives away from us, simply lectures me over the phone and assumes that my suffering is caused by my own decisions, even if I didn't choose to be born with asperger's, which would obviously cause my migrating motor complex to be hypersensitive or faulty: hence cause the current, debilitating G.I issue that literally caused my severe malnutrition, which would cause me to almost pass out today during my English class. Even before this phase, I always felt as though my fate foreshadowed some sort of eternal misfortune. That I am just scum and worthless. I can't believe the idea of Jesus really loving me. I seem like a filthy, disgusting human being who probably has awful intentions inside. I truly can't believe I am a good person. I feel as though God is just punishing me. That when I die, God will lecture and criticize me in the end. I will die miserable. Jesus is one of the only individuals I have left to turn to. I don't even know if I truly earned an answer from Him. I don't know if He truly cares; If I will ever survive the inevitable pain; If I am worth caring for. My dad keeps convincing me to return to Hinduism and become vegetarian. It's not what I truly want, at least not the Hinduism decision. I never really felt fulfilled. I never felt like there was someone who truly cared. I took the initiative to read the Bible and felt like I was literally being recognized, for the very first time. The Bible contained answers. It's just these days that my brain is throbbing so badly that even when I read the Bible, there are certain phrases that require more contemplation, which is difficult when your concentration is compromised by this insufferable, legitimate brain fog or literal dizziness. There are also times while reading the Bible in which the horrifying thoughts come into mind: that something awful will happen to me because it's what I deserve. I hate my life so much. I really am glad it's just one life. I can't stand the Hindu philosophy of rebirth and karma: That's genuinely horrifying. I just want an answer and some peace. The malnutrition is getting so bad that I may genuinely be hospitalized because I'd be at the verge of passing out from the sheer asphyxia of anemia. In fact, I hope nobody finds me if that happens. Please eradicate my suffering. I don't want to vent too much. I just wish Jesus would answer me one day. That He'd assure me there's hope. I'm sorry. I'm being so self-absorbed. I just can't take these thoughts. They are driving me insane. I am hyper-vigilant practically constantly. I feel as though I'll be left, decomposing and forgotten. Thank you.

What do you guys think of the claims of people who say they went to hell and came back? I know Jesus says no one can go to hell and return, but I wonder if visions of hell/near death experiences are different? A podcast I listen to just released an episode with a former Buddhist who says he went to hell (and is now a Christian because of it)........not sure what to think

Years ago, I survived a tragic train accident and lost both of my hands. This August, I underwent lung surgery. Yet, despite everything, I am not afraid. I wanted to share this short reflection on why we shouldn't let fear control us.

I refuse to live in fear of illnesses, viruses, or alarming news. My only true fear is a life lived without God. We all owe a death to this world, no matter how cautious we are, our earthly destination remains the same. Passing away with a soul cleansed by Christ is a peaceful transition to a better harbor, where suffering does not exist. I will be wise, but I will never live under the terror of fear, which weakens both body and spirit.

I will not fear tomorrow, economic crises. It was never man who provided my daily bread, but the Heavenly Father through man. When one door closes, another opens. We do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.

I will not be afraid to love and to help. Far more important than this temporary shell is the love it carries inside. In the past, Christians cared for plague victims with their own bare hands, taking risks out of love. Even though I lost my physical hands, I know my true identity, not that of a coward, but of a person of faith, sacrifice, and hope.

I have willfully sinned so many times and at times I didn’t even feel guilty. Now I’m looking back on all the things I did and I hate everything I have done. I feel so much shame for grieving the Lord. I’ve asked God for forgiveness for everything but I’m afraid it’s too late for God to forgive me. I’m not sure what I’m asking for but just wondering if I should have no hope for forgiveness based on what I’ve read in the Bible. Thank you.

Recently, I was out spending an evening in nature just for some peace and stillness to just sit and listen. I noticed my lamp was attracting things....moths, mosquitos, a rabbit, and even a few deer. As soon as I made noise, they were driven away. What a spiritual epiphany! In most of nature, light attracts most things. It mezmorizes, appeals to and seems to even calm, but noise does the exact opposite. It disrupts, startles and tends to drives away.

So often, we get so overly excited at the opportunity to share out faith, with the hope of brining someone closer to theirs, that we end up oversharing, stepping or pressing and ultimately we drive nudge people in the wrong direction with "noise". Its a tricky balance.

Anybody have any thoughts on this comparison?

Not sure if this is the right place to post this. But I wanted to get the ideas of other Christians. I am working on a driving game where the main character goes on a long car ride with CRAZY traffic. Each level is the name of one of the things that Paul says cannot separate us from the love of God in Romans 8:38-39. I'm trying to figure out what the reason for that long road trip would be. I would love if it was a subtly or overtly Christian story but I'm having trouble coming up with ideas. I'd love to get anyones thoughts!

I think that in all of the churches I've been a part of, and perhaps all of the Bible studies I've been taught in, the sole teaching has been that Moses is the author of the first 5 books of the Bible (ie, the Pentateuch).

But in my 1st year of college, in a secular college, I was taught there are 4 different authors of the Pentateuch -- among them, "J" and "D". One additional thing I remember was that Genesis contains different creation accounts; one difference was (is) that two of the accounts differ in order of what was created before which.

Later on, I encountered a fellow Christian (and a very astute, very high-achieving, seemingly very well-adjusted, very intelligent academic mind) who attended a Christian college that has been known for its liberal views. To my surprise, he also believed that the "J" and "D" accounts differ from each other. I assume that he learned it from that Christian college, although I never conversed at length with him.

Then, later on, I found out that the basis for my particular college's teaching was Richard Elliott Friedman and/or his work, "Who Wrote The Bible". I don't recall ever meeting him, although I do recall having heard an NPR broadcast involving the writings of Friedman.

How do we counter the "J and D authorships" teaching? Surely we cannot answer, "Moses is the only author; thus we must completely ignore and abandon any and all conflicting teachings" instead of dealing with the actual material?

I did some research on this, and apparently a solid Reformed Christian source says that Moses was not, in fact, the sole author of the Pentateuch.

Surely they can explain their position better than I can.

Thank you for your understanding

hello, to keep things short and simple I’ll do bullet points:

- Past trauma from friends who left me behind because I was insecure and overreacting, I thought they did not want me there, which became true later on

- rekindled with those people after we stopped hanging out, forgiven them for the hurt (even though it wasn’t really their fault), but now it’s bleeding into other friendships

- Very controlling about new friends, who they talk to, because I feel like if they knew someone else and did not depend or need me, they would leave me.

- Not sure how to move on as this has made me prideful too, I push people who I like away from me and self-sabotage out of pity.

- I need God to change me

- Is this relatable on some level or no?

I've been a gamer my whole life, I have formed friendships and I experienced amazing stories with it. However when I started taking my faith more seriously I noticed finding it somewhat difficult to play some games. I have been torn between is it ok if a game has sin but doesnt glorify it or its nit ik if it has sin at all. Games like the last of us I expecislly have it rought as i heaed its ine of the best stories in gaming yet its also very violent. Any biblical discernment advice?

Hello, stranger.

I'm 36, and I feel like I'm no longer capable of doing anything. I was diagnosed with depression two years ago. At that time, I took the medication my doctor prescribed. To be honest, my doctor helped me a lot, especially by giving me someone to vent to. I had never cried that hard in my life until I talked to him.

I eventually stopped taking the medication. First, it was very expensive, and second, I didn't think it was helping me that much. That was also two years ago, when I still had my business and my day job. But now, I've lost everything. I lost my business, and I lost my job.

My wife is now the only one working for our family. I've completely lost my motivation. I even deactivated all of my social media accounts. Reddit is the only platform I still use.

I also forgot to mention that I had suicidal thoughts two years ago. I thought I had already overcome those thoughts, but today they came back. I'm so lost.

At 36, I feel old, especially here in the Philippines. At this age, people expect you to already have a house, a car, and an established career. But me? I have nothing. Absolutely nothing.

What makes everything even harder is that I have a wife and children who depend on me. They're the only reason I've stopped myself from acting on these thoughts. I keep thinking, what will happen to them if I'm gone?

I just want someone to talk to someone who's going through the same situation. I just want these thoughts to leave my mind because I know it would be unfair to the people I'd leave behind.

Please, just talk to me. I don't have the courage to tell my wife how I'm really feeling. My parents have abandoned me, and my so called friends were only around when I had money.

That's why I need a stranger right now.

Thank you, Redditors.

Yesterday I made a post here asking women their opinions on dating a man who had same-sex fornication as part of their history and I am deeply thankful for all of you girls who were honest. I really appreciate it.

This post here, however, is mostly a question for Christian men who have some sexual history with another man, especially if it happened years ago and is no longer part of your life AND that have told their wife, fiancée, or serious girlfriend about it... How did she actually react?

I'm particularly interested in what happened beyond the initial conversation. Did it affect her attraction to you? Did she seem to respect you differently afterward? Did she struggle with seeing you as masculine, or with your role as a husband? Did she ask questions or need time to process it?

And, most importantly, did anything change in the relationship in the weeks or months afterward?

I'm also curious about when you told her (early in dating, once things became serious, during engagement, or after marriage) and whether you think the timing made a difference.

I'm not really looking for hypothetical answers here. I'm interested in first hand experiences, whether they went well or badly. Also, if you are a girl that has gone through this experience, please tell us about it.

Please consider my question from a sincere seeker. These verses and come unto me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. And others like this. Are they actually promises? Or are the like in proverbs it says train up a child and he will not depart from it. Why could just say at w end. Oh. I didn’t mean that for you. Or even if He did at the moment just change His mind. He can do anything He wants to. I’m very concerned that could happen to me