Doubt, how do you deal with it?

I don't know how old you are, but I'm assuming from your post that you are somewhere in your late teens or early-mid twenties. I want you to know that what you are going through is perfectly normal and most people in that age range experience something similar to it to some degree. This isn't to say what you feel is "just a phase" or something like that, but rather that you are just reaching that point where you are starting to understand yourself as an entity apart from your parents.

This is a good thing.

It may turn out that you return to the faith of your parents after you come to understand it better and can rightly claim it for yourself.

It may turn out that you hold onto faith, but find your home in a branch of Christianity that looks different from where you started. There is nothing wrong with this. My family has Lutherans, Baptists, Presbyterians, and Methodists but we are all united in Christ by his Gospel and are all members of His church.

It may turn out that you realize you don't actually believe in Jesus Christ or his Gospel. Believe it or not this is a good thing too. While it sounds backwards I firmly believe that a person who recognizes they are not a Christian is in better standing than the person who thinks they are a Christian while deceiving themselves. In my experience I have found that it is much easier for a lost person to hear the Gospel and believe than it is for a nominal Christian to understand that their faith is not-genuine and then to come back to the true Gospel.

As far as what to do I think you are on the right track:

  • Be in regular prayer and be earnestly asking God to make himself real to you.

  • Read and meditate on scripture regularly.

  • Be active in attending a Christian church and come expecting to hear from God.

  • Be honest with yourself. You can't will yourself to believe, and lying to yourself can only slow the process down.

I'll be praying for you brother/sister and if there is anything I can do to help you in this journey don't hesitate to let me know.

/r/TrueChristian Thread