How does your faith make you grow?

[Avatar4321]

I think my title sums up the question nicely, but I want to discuss more personal experiences rather than who is right or wrong. I think it's important for us to share experiences we have and not fight all the time. I think we can learn alot from each other if we do.

I suppose since it's my thread I should start off. I was rather a shy teenager. I was afraid of alot of things. I had alot of personal flaws back then, I'm sure I am not alone in that. I didn't know if there was a God or anything. I think i believed, in a half hearted type way. But when i went to college, like most people I started questioning things. I wanted to know the truth for myself.

So as most people would do, i started immersing myself in everything I could find on religion. Whatever religion I could find, I'd look pro and con. I especially questioned my professed faith to see whether it would stand up to scrutiny. I must say that most of my studies lead to more confusion. But through it all, I repeatedly read people imploring others to ask God and learn from Him for themself. To experience God's power personally in their life.

I concluded that the only way to really find out anything was to go to God in prayer. I didn't have any idea what to expect. I didn't know if He could answer me or how would I know if He did. But I figured I wouldn't know unless I tried. I can honestly tell you that I've had experiences with God since then that have made me marvel. He opened my eyes to so many things, and I only regret that in my sinful state, I haven't prepared myself to learn and do things even greater than that.

I've felt the love of God. I've felt His power and Glory. and my life hasn't been the same. I've systematically conquored much of my fears. Line upon line and precept upon precept. I've still got a long way to go, but I've had experience I never would have had otherwise. I've gotten to know amazing people that I wouldn't have known otherwise.

I've learned things that I know if I actually do what I've learned, I will be happy and be able to help others be happy as well. I've had days when I've been humbled and I am completely grateful for that opportunity. I've learned what pure love is.

Like I said, I really want to see this thread be a thread where we can share our experiences. I think all of us can be uplifted and edified and come to know each other better. I don't care what your faith is, I'm confident you have had some experience that everyone would benefit from.

Please, let's not let this turn to contention.

 

[JoLouis]

Just curious, are you a guy or a girl?

 

[Sky Dancer]

What difference does it make?

 

[Sky Dancer]

I was raised Roman Catholic, went to a Catholic school, the whole bit. I had many questions but I wasn't encouraged to ask questions I was told to accept everything on faith. I wondered how my foster parent could go to mass every day and be so physically and psychologically abusive. I played mass as a kid, and I said the stations of the cross when I was 'bad'.

I started to feel disillusioned about Catholicism in high school and I went to live with my dad who didn't go to church. I more or less dropped out at that time.

When my father committed suicide in 1981, I was devastated. Spiritually, I found no comfort to be had in the Catholic Church which condemned my father to all eternity for his despair. I startted to look for another spiritul path. I spent many long hours in the Theosophical Library studying comparative religion and found myself attracted to Buddhism.

In 1982, I attended my first ten day silent Buddhist meditation retreat. I've been studying Buddhist meditation and teachings ever since. It works for me.

Buddhism emphasizes impermanence, and no one is eternally condemned for negative karma. All karma can be purifed and eventually all beings will attain full and complete enlightenment moment to moment. I've noticed changes over the years in my mind and heart which give me confidence that I have chosen the right path for me.

 

[JoLouis]

I'll take a guess: chick.



Or an emasculated guy.

 

[Skull Pilot]

My lack of faith has made me grow.

Once I realized that I didn't have to appease a nonexistent God so as to be given some eternal reward and that the only life I had was the one I was living, I began to focus on every day as an opportunity to do something great with the time I have instead of praying for salvation and deliverance and waiting for some capricious god to reward me.