Re: God Rocks!!!!!
Submitted by Chris on May 02 1999 at 14:44:33
In reply to Re: God Rocks!!!!! Submitted by Ben on May 01 1999 at 18:57:55
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Hi Ben, I know that I DO belong in God's family (as we all do), it's just that I find it difficult to feel that way. I guess it's that feeling of "not belonging" that keeps me from going to church. You ARE absolutely right, Ben, we should all keep working twords that goal of being accepted, even if we can somehow achieve it only in the way we each feel about ourselves. I don't have the courage (nor the conviction...actually I probably DO have the courage), to come out to a pastor or church community. I guess I should probably just say "to heck with it" and find a church to attend anyway. I don't know, I just keep thinking about what happened the last time I regularly attended a church. I just quit going all together because the counselor from that church that I was seeing at the time insisted that my sexual feelings were wrong and COULD be changed AND he insisted that they SHOULD be changed. He even stated at one point that my salvation could be in question. I will never forget that because he is the first person to EVER question my salvation. I started to question my salvation and got severly depressed and ultimately started drinking (I am an alcoholic and for me, to drink is to eventually to die.) Man, I respected this person and, because he believed and taught a lot of bogus nonsense about salvation, I could not believe that I COULD be a Christian. I know MUCH better now, but at that time, what he got me to believe was devestating. I guess that's why I am so reluctant to walk into another church. I don't think anyone can EVER mess me up about salvation again, but, I don't know, I just know what people think about us and how they feel about us. But you ARE VERY RIGHT, Ben. We should all be working twords, praying and hoping for, the day that the ENTIRE family of God can feel perfectly at home with one another. I hope it happens, my friend, for all of us because it only seems right that it should. However, God has a plan and His plan is RIGHT, no matter what it seems like to us now. And I know that EVERYTHING is already going along with His plan for us because His word says so. Thanks for your input, Ben, (and you too, d) I really appreciate it big time. Things will work out for ALL of God's children. I DO have faith in THAT! Your brother in Christ Jesus, Chris |