LDS Freedom Forum

I was wondering if anyone wouldn't mind if you could share with us what helps you have faith and what may hurt your faith. Short stories are better than long ones.

I will share this. I really thought unrealistic faith or hope in general was a type of mental condition. A weakness scheme to help avoid reality. But the people IV meet on hear are clearly not that crazed for the most part.
Ok, anyone?

If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. (New Testament, John 7:17)

Living the principle has always strengthened my faith. Praying strengthens my faith in prayer. Reading scripture strengthens my faith in scriptures. Paying tithing strengthened my testimony of the benefits of paying tithing. Keeping gospel standards has proven to me the spiritual and temporal benefits of living a moral and virtuous life. Serving in the LDS Church has strengthened my knowledge that it is the true church Jesus Christ.

You can't see the benefits until you do it and live it first.

Ok, I'll try to keep it short.

When my first two were still both 2 or under, my husband lost his job. I had about $10 in the bank. The kids got sick and I needed to give them Tylenol. I had a bottle of infant Tylenol that from what I knew of how far it went down every time I used it, I had two doses left. I was stressed out. The stuff was so expensive, it would take all the money I had left to buy another bottle. But with no other options, I had to use the medicine.

To my surprise I had greatly overestimated how much medicine was taken out each time I used it. I used the medicine 5 or 6 times during the kids' illness and the amount in the bottle was only reduced by half. The kids got better, the bottle got put away, and I didn't look at it again for a few months until the next time the kids needed it. By that time, my husband had a new job and money was not tight.

The next time I used that medicine, it used up the whole rest of the bottle in one dose. So in other words, the same amount that I used 5 or 6 times when my husband was out of work only yielded one dose when he had work again.

I figure most of what I have experienced could be explained away as psychotic phenomenon. But what about that little bottle of medicine? Something beyond my five senses exists and it has enough intelligence to know when exactly to manipulate the contents of a specific bottle of Tylenol.

This type of thing helps my faith. In itself, it requires no faith. I know what happened to that bottle--it's not mere belief. But it allows me to believe in greater things. This and other experiences allow me to keep pressing forward toward this unseen being that I worship thinking that someday I'll actually know him too, not just believe in him.

My faith is strengthened when I hear testimony. My faith is replaced with its opposite, fear, when others stumble. I don't want anyone to get hurt, physically or spiritually. Sometimes I care too much in that I don't want to allow others to experience the natural consequences of their decisions. It is painful to realize where some are headed because of what they do. All one can do is to get in front of them, astraddle their tracks and whisper, speak, yell and plead, hoping that they will heed; that the bridge is out and that if they pursue their course, they will de-rail. At some point, after you have exhausted your warnings, you get off the track and out of their way. Falling is a necessary part of learning how to walk. If you are able, you dust them off, clean up the mess and repair the bridge; sending them on their way again. Hopefully some learning will have taken place for the next time, if they survived the crash. Some people just don't listen. It is painful and I feel responsible. I know what it is like to get "railroaded." I jokingly refer to the "rr" (which represents my two "middle" names) as "rail road." I, too, am learning the "tracks." If we all help and warn one another, there will be more voices. Maybe, if we join together, we can be heard?

My faith is strengthened when I act on the promptings of the Spirit and see the results.

My faith is weakened when I allow discouraging thoughts to linger.

Jezebel wrote:Ok, I'll try to keep it short.

When my first two were still both 2 or under, my husband lost his job. I had about $10 in the bank. The kids got sick and I needed to give them Tylenol. I had a bottle of infant Tylenol that from what I knew of how far it went down every time I used it, I had two doses left. I was stressed out. The stuff was so expensive, it would take all the money I had left to buy another bottle. But with no other options, I had to use the medicine.

To my surprise I had greatly overestimated how much medicine was taken out each time I used it. I used the medicine 5 or 6 times during the kids' illness and the amount in the bottle was only reduced by half. The kids got better, the bottle got put away, and I didn't look at it again for a few months until the next time the kids needed it. By that time, my husband had a new job and money was not tight.

The next time I used that medicine, it used up the whole rest of the bottle in one dose. So in other words, the same amount that I used 5 or 6 times when my husband was out of work only yielded one dose when he had work again.

I figure most of what I have experienced could be explained away as psychotic phenomenon. But what about that little bottle of medicine? Something beyond my five senses exists and it has enough intelligence to know when exactly to manipulate the contents of a specific bottle of Tylenol.

This type of thing helps my faith. In itself, it requires no faith. I know what happened to that bottle--it's not mere belief. But it allows me to believe in greater things. This and other experiences allow me to keep pressing forward toward this unseen being that I worship thinking that someday I'll actually know him too, not just believe in him.

very good story. I will not forget it. Thank you.

davedan wrote:If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. (New Testament, John 7:17)

Living the principle has always strengthened my faith. Praying strengthens my faith in prayer. Reading scripture strengthens my faith in scriptures. Paying tithing strengthened my testimony of the benefits of paying tithing. Keeping gospel standards has proven to me the spiritual and temporal benefits of living a moral and virtuous life. Serving in the LDS Church has strengthened my knowledge that it is the true church Jesus Christ.

You can't see the benefits until you do it and live it first.

Thank you so much. This kinda of faith seems almost unnatural for me to want to attempt. However, I am really glad it works for you to bring you and the people around you happiness.
Don't anything hurt your faith? Thank you for sharing.

Gideon wrote:My faith is strengthened when I act on the promptings of the Spirit and see the results.

My faith is weakened when I allow discouraging thoughts to linger.

This is the kind of answer I value the most. Straight forward and to the point. Thank you.

brrgilbert wrote:My faith is strengthened when I hear testimony. My faith is replaced with its opposite, fear, when others stumble. I don't want anyone to get hurt, physically or spiritually. Sometimes I care too much in that I don't want to allow others to experience the natural consequences of their decisions. It is painful to realize where some are headed because of what they do. All one can do is to get in front of them, astraddle their tracks and whisper, speak, yell and plead, hoping that they will heed; that the bridge is out and that if they pursue their course, they will de-rail. At some point, after you have exhausted your warnings, you get off the track and out of their way. Falling is a necessary part of learning how to walk. If you are able, you dust them off, clean up the mess and repair the bridge; sending them on their way again. Hopefully some learning will have taken place for the next time, if they survived the crash. Some people just don't listen. It is painful and I feel responsible. I know what it is like to get "railroaded." I jokingly refer to the "rr" (which represents my two "middle" names) as "rail road." I, too, am learning the "tracks." If we all help and warn one another, there will be more voices. Maybe, if we join together, we can be heard?

I can relate. Sometimes I've felt such despair at many's refusal to acknowledge "uncomfortable but dangerous truths" right in front of their face. I'm encouraged when more people see it and also try to point it out, when people put truly loving above peer pressure.

What inspires me is when I see some who have realized "ugly" truths about religion but have still cherished the good, realizing nothing's black or white.

If I debate too much with angry Atheists and Liberals, my faith takes a hit. Then again, it also takes a hit when I or others are hurt by those professing to be all religious.

I consider multiple aspects of God. I need to pray every day - to maintain faith in a higher power that I feel within. I also see God's potential expression in everyone which is why others have profound effect on my faith. We're God's hands, or we choose not to be.

My faith is strengthened when I see tender mercies from God (examples: when I listen to promptings and realize there would have been a differing and negative outcome otherwise, when I look at the positives in my life) and when I allow myself and others to use the atonement (forgive myself, forgive others, and just move on!).

My faith is weakened when I begin focusing on other's weaknesses instead of my own or when I allow myself to be ungrateful. It can be very easy to point out what other people are doing wrong and completely forget that I have so many things to do too.

Here's a key to understanding if you can grok it. Faith = fidelity. ;)

Do as THOU (meaning FSM, Obrien etc) wilt is NOT the path to faith.

To answer the question of what hurts my faith: life in general.

There are far more bottles of medicine that do not multiply their contents. There are lots of miracles not occurring. And there are a whole lot of people willing to tell me that the God I believe in doesn't really exist. Most of these people actually believe in God, they just don't think he is as trustworthy, loving, and merciful as I do.

Jezebel wrote:To answer the question of what hurts my faith: life in general.

There are far more bottles of medicine that do not multiply their contents. There are lots of miracles not occurring. And there are a whole lot of people willing to tell me that the God I believe in doesn't really exist. Most of these people actually believe in God, they just don't think he is as trustworthy, loving, and merciful as I do.

To tell you the truth I fit that description. I am rather unholy sometimes. I am sorry if I by chance threw darts at your faith. Please know by telling me this you have helped me to have some faith.

Are you a random act of chance? A mere mistake? Nothing more than a freak of nature?
Then there is a God.

Have you investigated different churches to determine which ones even claim to have the power to act in God's name?

Have you ever given a Blessing? If so, what were the results? I have and they were miraculous.

You are young. When I was young, a man gave me a piece of advice. He said "If you are going to take advice, take it from someone that is competent to give it." There are both competent and incompetent people on a forum. You should be asking God this question.

I would recommend reading the Book of Mormon starting with the pages before page one. This will not only enlighten you, it will put you in the proper condition to receive God's answer to your questions.

FSM wrote:

Jezebel wrote:To answer the question of what hurts my faith: life in general.

There are far more bottles of medicine that do not multiply their contents. There are lots of miracles not occurring. And there are a whole lot of people willing to tell me that the God I believe in doesn't really exist. Most of these people actually believe in God, they just don't think he is as trustworthy, loving, and merciful as I do.

To tell you the truth I fit that description. I am rather unholy sometimes. I am sorry if I by chance threw darts at your faith. Please know by telling me this you have helped me to have some faith.

I don't recall ever being uncomfortable with anything you have sent my way.

I did not make it clear, mere disagreement is not the problem. I can handle people telling me straight up that they don't believe in God the same way I do. It's when they let those beliefs affect my relationship with them that hurts. It tears me apart to have to choose between my loved ones and my God.

Jezebel wrote:

FSM wrote:

Jezebel wrote:To answer the question of what hurts my faith: life in general.

There are far more bottles of medicine that do not multiply their contents. There are lots of miracles not occurring. And there are a whole lot of people willing to tell me that the God I believe in doesn't really exist. Most of these people actually believe in God, they just don't think he is as trustworthy, loving, and merciful as I do.

To tell you the truth I fit that description. I am rather unholy sometimes. I am sorry if I by chance threw darts at your faith. Please know by telling me this you have helped me to have some faith.

I don't recall ever being uncomfortable with anything you have sent my way.

I did not make it clear, mere disagreement is not the problem. I can handle people telling me straight up that they don't believe in God the same way I do. It's when they let those beliefs affect my relationship with them that hurts. It tears me apart to have to choose between my loved ones and my God.

ok I understand.
BTY. I'm a weak atheist. That is I have a lack of belief in a god. But I believe in you. I don't want to hurt your faith in god. I would also take you to church and set beside you. I would always be your friend.

One of my best friends is an atheist I met at church, LOL! We get along because neither one of us expects the other to change. We accept each other the way we are. I think you would like him.

He actually saw God once. He used to be LDS and was in the temple with some couples who were of strong faith. During the session, Jesus appeared. He believes that the strong belief of the people there caused an apparition of Jesus.

He's a very spiritual person. He's touched me in many ways. I'm seeking for Zion and really can't imagine it without him. I feel like he's my brother, my real brother.

I hope we get to meet in person, sometime, FSM. I think we would get along.