Figuring things out...

[hawaiianrae21]

Hi everyone.. I'm new, I'm Rae.

First off, I just want you guys to know that I am Christian and fully believe in God, Christ and respect the message in the Bible. I have noticed that individuals' devotion to the word and God are all different degrees. I have a friend that believes to the inth degree every single thing in the Bible to be 100% true. I know he has a good and valiant heart but some of the things he does and says show otherwise. So how can someone like this make me feel unworthy at times? Not directly, but indirectly, and I don't even think he realizes it. It just doesn't make sense. Anytime I try to talk about my beliefs and feelings, he can take a quote from the Bible and almost squash whatever I say. HELP!

[SQUARE]

I would not be calling this person a friend. I think that you should find a real friend who cares about you, and does not put you down. :)

[hawaiianrae21]

Yeah but the thing is we have a great friendship. I think that I feel guilty for not living my life as the way he portrays his own way of living life. Why should I feel guilt? I feel very comfortable in my ways,

yet he gets to me. Is this God finding a way to intervene in the way I live my life?

[JudoMinja]

I would like to answer this question- "Why should I feel guilt?" As it might help you with the rest of your problem.

Guilt has two-sides to it. It is an emotion that can be affected by both God and Satan. Satan would have us feel guilty even for things we need not feel guilty about. He would take our guilt and wrap us in it so deeply that we cannot escape. We become enveloped in our guilt and feel as though there is no way to improve, no way to overcome our faults. This is not a good thing to be feeling. It tears us down, makes us depressed, and causes us to prolong our bad behaviors as we feel that there is no hope anyway, so why try.

If the things your friend tells you are causing you to feel this kind of guilt, you need to pray. The Lord can free you from Satan's grasp and help dig you out of this pit. Guilt was meant to drive us to change, to improve. This is known as Godly-sorrow. When we can look at ourselves, our weaknesses, our sins, and feel true sorrow and humility for our imperfections, this is Godly-sorrow. It will fill us with a desire to repent and overcome our weaknesses. It will drive us to lean on the arm of the Savior and seek the blessings of the atonement.

Often, people find themselves overburdened with unnecessary guilt. Why should you feel guilty about not living the way your friend lives? Do you feel that his lifestyle is better than yours? Do you feel that he is closer to God? Do you feel that the things you are doing are truly wrong? Is your guilt filling you with a desire to change? Or are you feeling like he is judging and labeling you, that he "getting to you" because he is making there appear to be a wrong where there is none? Is your guilt making you feel like you need to repent or making you feel like you should give up?

It sounds, also, like you are trying to come to terms with your own beliefs. You are striking onto the journey of self-discovery and wondering if this friend has things figured out better than you do. Maybe you need to make a change, and maybe you don't. You need to determine that for yourself, by finding the path that makes you the most comfortable mind, body, and soul. It could be that this friend is just being self-righteous and his attitude is resulting in your feelings of guilt. It is also possible that you are just recognizing that he has something "better" than what you currently know. The only way to find out for sure which it really is is through study, thought, and prayer.

Study it out in your mind and in your heart. We all go through our own searches for faith as we break away from our parents and seek our own paths. We all must decide for ourselves what lifestyle we will live. Discover for yourself where you are most comfortable, where your lifestyle aligns with your faith, then don't worry about what anyone else says. As long as you are right with God, that is what matters.