I am new . I am almost 41 and I am just starting to learn somewhat of the bible. Hers is a short story and perhaps someone can help me find an answer.
About 4 years ago i needed something desperately, like most people I remembered God, I prayed with all my heart. I promised God that if my prayer would be answered I would stop smoking. Well my prayer was answered and I did not stop smoking. I have tried several times , my will power is low and since then my life has gone down hill and I turn to my cigarrette instead of going insane. I am presently losing my business, I have lost my home I do not know where my family will live after foreclosure is up about a month. My health is very bad , my marraige is almost over and my oldest son has been on the streets on drugs for almost three years.
I have begged God to have mercy on me, and if I deserve punishment to please save my family from this pain. I thought God forgave us our sins if we truly repent. If I can not be saved why does he not save my family?

Hi Coonie! Boy, your post sure hits the nail on the head. I'm very sorry you're going through all this. I know you saw my praise entry in the blog and thanks for your comments, btw. The funny thing is, though that's where I am today, this post of yours reminds me of where I was 24 years ago. I was addicted to drugs, alcohol, cigarettes and sex. I shared a tiny apartment with a friend from High School. I had met and fallen in love with a woman who was way too good for me and I promised God that if He gave me her, I'd give all that other stuff up. 3 years later we were married and I didn't follow through with my promise to God. Still, as time went on, He took all those bad habits from me and moved me from a job I hated to the life I have now.

I wanted to give you the background so you could hear what I'm about to tell you about your situation. If, as it seems, you're calling on God with all your heart, you have been saved already. There is nothing God can't do! Now, He may not do everything you ask, but, in my experience, over time, He will either give you that or something better. The hard part is relying on Him when everything seems to be falling apart.

Let me recommend a Bible verse for you...Philippians 4:4-7. "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Let me tell you why this is such a powerful Scripture. Paul, the writer, was in a Roman prison, writing to people who were being beaten and some killed by Roman soldiers. I've been jailed, unemployed and almost lost everything by our modern standards and not come close to the troubles these people have had. Still, I can tell you from Bible study and years of experience, God is faithful and will do far more for us than we can ask or imagine.

Please, no matter how bad things look, keep looking for miracles and counting on God. He will not let you down. We'll be praying for you.

Glen thank you so much!!!! I am sure you appreciate life more than most of us do and being a living miracle your faith is complete!
I try very hard and work very hard everyday to maintain and increase my faith. I hope to someday give hope to someone as you just did for me.
I dont know you but I do know what you have been through takes alot of courage and I know you lived in a lot of pain. I am proud of you!!!
I will pray for you and I appreciate your prayers for my family and I. much gratitude....

Hello Coonie:

I would like to encourage you to seek God's Will for your life in this time of distress & ALWAYS!!!

You've asked if you are being punished for not having kept your promise to God........
The Lord knew you'd be unable to fulfill your promise to Him, but it did not stop Him
from granting your request.....

It may seem odd for me to say this, but
The Lord is not a "business" where in we "pay for miracles rendered".
God desires obedience, not sacrifice........

Everything belongs to Him because He made everything..
Therefore there isn't any offering that we can give to Him,
for His goodness towards us.
That is why HE GAVE His Son,
so that through faith in Christ Jesus our sins could be forgiven us.

Glen openly shared some of his own testimony,
a testimony of GODS GOODNESS TO HIM and not of his own ability!!!!
He humbly admits that he didn't keep his promise, but that didn't stop God from being GOOD TO HIM!!!
ALL THE GLORY IS GODS!! Bit by bit He has made him into a new creation, to declare His Praises...


The difficult question I would ask is:
are the things that are happening with your business, home and family random acts of chance
or are there decisions that have led, at least in part to what is now transpiring?

Has your focus been upon not smoking,
or the amount that you've smoked since you made that promise?

God wants the loyalty of our hearts, not sacrifices -
HE MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE for You and I, for the world,
And there is no competing with that.
By giving up His Son for us all.
It's a matter of humbly accepting what He has done
for us when we didn't deserve it, when we had nothing to give HE GAVE!!

We make promises we can't keep, but God doesn't..

Rom 10:9
That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord,"
and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

In closing I'd like to say
It's prudent not to take God's grace for granted, because He isn't an 911 emergency service
that will run to our aid when we are facing the consequences of choices we've made after
we've turned and gone our own way,,,, we can't expect Him to fix what we break.
When He does it's a testimony to His Unmerited Grace, but when He doesn't it's not due to His lack of Goodness.
In fact it can be due to His goodness, for it's those times that we seek and even draw nearer to Him.

God give you both the wisdom to know what to do now in your current situation and the will to do it.
I cannot predict what will happen with your family, but I do know God cares for them and He will provide,
in His way and in His time.

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD & HE WILL MAKE YOU A TESTIMONY IN HIS PERFECT TIME


In His Abiding Love
d.light

Dont even know how to use this site came across it by accident whilst sitting in a depressed state clicking away on my comp.
Am not a practising christian, church for me means weddings and funerals. Until about five years ago I led what you would class as a normal life, living with my girlfriend, kids, Job, close family. Then I wacthed my parents die of the same desease within seven weeks of each other, I lost me job, home, contact with my kids and my family of several close brothers and a sister was torn apart by arguments and disputes. My new home was broken into and everything taken and my car vandalised.

I relocated for a fresh start and invested what little I had in a business, big mistake! Another company has ripped me off and effectively have lost everything, and am now caught in a messy exepensive legal battle and am on the verge of bankruptsy.

Am under the doctor for depression for the first time in my life and thinking whats the point, cos I'll only get slapped back down again. Is God punishing me? I should say so!

Hi Aide -

Welcome to the 21st Century - home of Mad Max - where morality, honesty, and integrity are found only in the dictionary.

Since God expects of us moral behavior, loving attitudes, honesty, and integrity; it must certainly follow that God is not the perpetrator of all the evil befalling you (and many of us in like manner).

Never forget that we are in Satan's kingdom - and God's kingdom is but a heartbeat away. If we are in Satan's kingdom and he is all the Bible says he is, then we should not be surprised that evil abounds - and it is this which is the source of all the ill we encounter - NOT God to Whom we ought rather be appealing for protection and help.

Shalom.

Hi Aide! I'm so sorry all this has happened to you. I can't imagine the pain you're in right now. I'm glad you came here and posted your comment, so we could pray for you and offer what comfort we can. I'd like you to consider semi's comments and a few of mine. If you feel his post is a little rough, please take a look at some of his prayer requests and you'll see he's no stranger to disaster. There are a couple of points I'd like you to add to his before you conclude that God is punishing you:
1. Jesus said both good and bad things happen to everyone. It doesn't matter whether we've been in church or the bar, bad things will happen. Yes, there are bad things we bring on ourselves, but even if we live to avoid all of that, bad things will happen.
2. We can decide how we respond to bad things. There is no avoiding emotional pits, like when my Mom, brother and sister died, or when we almost lost our house. But, what we do in that pit often decides whether or how soon we get out and how soon we fall into another one. It was a very positive thing for you to reach out for help from your pit, and I applaud you for doing so.
3. It was no accident you ended up here. That very God, you think is punishing you, has actually led you here, so you would know he loves you and wants to help you. Do you think it coincidence that you put just the right phrase in your search engine to land you here? It was God, who led me to leave regular ministry to build these sites, God who led me to build the forums so people could help each other, God who led Coonie to post her subject "Is God Punishing Me? God who led the search engines to list this page so that, when you put those words in, you would come here and discover he knows exactly what your problem is and wants you to know of His love.
4. 7 years ago, when He led us to start this site, He knew you would be having trouble now and you would need to know how close He is and how much he cares and wants to help. If you respond to God and ask His help and His guidance in your life, He will lead you out of the pit and toward the happy, fulfilling life you were designed to have.
5. I can look back on points of great pain and desperation in my life and see where God used them to bring me closer to Him and take me to the wonderful life I have now. My prayer for you is that one day, you can look back upon this day and say the same.

[Sorry think i messed that reply up, never used a site like this before. Strange feeling talking to people I've never met probably thousands of miles away. But got to admit it is comforting to know there people out there like yourself and Semi giving consideration to peoples predicaments as opposed to surfing the net for porn or just making money. Don't suppose i'll ever be a church goer, always seem too busy trying to sort out problems but thanks for taking the time to reply didn't expect to hear anything. For sure have lost my faith in society and legal justice but you have made me think and i hope you are right. Think i have been very selfish and short tempered at times, have become very bitter and angry towards the person who ripped me off and have had dark thoughts, but you taking the time to reply has helped a lot, so thanks for that. The last time i was given a bible was in the army and that was a long time ago.

Aide -

I might come off as a little bit blunt at times but sometimes it is necessary to shock people into a different way of thinking than the rut that they cannot see their way out of.

Here is my position: We are approaching the End of this Age in which the events described in Revelation are apparently almost upon us. As Jesus foretold in His Olivet Discourse, things will wax worse and worse. If that is true, then we must expect that the world around us will seem to be falling apart as more and more evils befall us all.

These result in pressures that every one of us must endure or capitulate. It is becoming increasingly necessary that we choose God or the world. The number of options are becoming quite limited - ultimately boiling down to just two. In this situation our single hope is in the Lord, where-in we must make our choice and stand firm - regardless what happens.

Choosing God at this time is the hard way to go but it is the only choice that will result in Eternal Life. Choosing the worldly way is the easy way out but will subsequently result in doom.

Our stand may well result in our physical destruction, but we will have overcome the enemy - Satan; who is author of all choices other than God. Anything we choose in an attempt to save our physical lives will ultimately result in the loss of both - our physical lives and our Eternal Life.

That's basically the bottom line. If you trust in God completely, He mau take you through this pretty much unscathed - but then again, maybe not. But whichever the case, if you earnestly seek His Peace that surpasses understanding, you can have Peace in the midst of the storm.

Shalom.

[I admire your conviction and belief Semi, and wonder what experiences have led you to this point. I don't know if I am capable of that sort of belief. Your right though everything seems to be getting worse and out of control, and I don't mind blunt talking, although all the blunt talking I have been listening to in the last few years has been has been off people wanting their pound of flesh. You seem to be a complete contrast to Glen but saying the same thing I think.

Aide -

Glen has more of a heart for counseling than I do. My specialty is the End-Times but I do have many life-experiences to draw from, so what I know works for some and not for others, I guess.

I speak with conviction because God has intervened in my life in a dramatic way leaving no doubt of His existence. So while many still wrestle with the question of the existence of God, I do not. The only thing I wrestle with in that regard is to what extent He will intervene on my behalf from crisis to crisis.

God is not some genie in a bottle who grants our wishes but whatever He does He does for purposes usually known only to Him. I have found that if I simply trust Him to take care of the situation, the situation gets resolved . In the meantime I know neither how nor when - but it happens.

My feeling is that with all the lost souls out there, the misled, etc. that somehow, some way, God is going to make it all come out in the wash (so to speak).

If I may, I suggest to you that you simply ask Him to come into your life and fill you with conviction at least as strong as mine. He is the Rewarder of those who believe that he exists and diligently seek Him.

Shalom.

[I dont know how I ended up on this site semi, cant even remeber what i pressed to be here, but remember feeling as low as i ever have , I dont know if I'll be a regular visitor, but yours and Glens advice has raised my spirits and I do genuinely appreciate that.

]Hi semi and Glen my second post in one day. I have actually taken my time to read other posts like Coonie whos problems seem remenicent of my own and several on the depression page. I would never have imagined posting a comment on a religeous web site thinking that all would be the domains of cranks and nuts preaching for money. But I have seen more well balanced and considered comments than I could have imagined possible. Not sure how to pray but i wish Coonie all the best and want him to know hes not on his own.

Thank you, Aide! Your comment encourages me and tells me we're hitting the mark. Hope you stick around!

I would like to give a short story of my own which helps me relate to this.

I have been married 5 years ago. Before we got married my wife prayed with all her heart for a sign from God that us getting married was what he wanted. He gave her that sign in the form of her cat giving birth to a kitten with my initial on its back. However now we are struggling. My wife and I struggle to communicate and have different interests now, our daughter shows continual signs of disrespect towards us and has told us she is a lesbian.

You may ask where this is going. Just this. The closer you get to God the more desperate satan tries to keep you away. he does not want you to be saved and will do everything in his power to stop it. If he is attacking your life take it as a sign you may be on the right track. the devil may be the one causing the temptation of smoking to be so bad. Pray to God to make it easier and rejoice in the Lord in all you say and all you do. Keep in mind satan doesn't attack people he already has.

God Bless

Ok, Connie, it looks like you are going through alot right now and could do with a great deal of advice. Thats why i decided to reply to your question. I was very concerned about your situation and thought i shall help thou neighbour. Cigarettes is not the best source to recovering stress issues. This will also not help with your finacial issues with your house, cigarettes are rather expensive and if you were to try and stop smoking you may have better luck with your finance. There are plenty of sources to help people stop smoking e.g - patches, chewing gum and classes. You should give all sources a try.

Your son that is dealing drugs in the street has probably got involved into the wrong crowd. It will be hard to encourage him to leave this crowd as he has been with them for so long and also drugs will make him alot of money selling them and he will look upon this as a luxury other than a crime. You should talk to him and try and get him involved in other stuff or even move away so he has no choice but to come away from the crowd to a different place. Plus if you move you might be off to a fresh start with your family.

Your marriage is probably going through a hard time right now because of all the other issues in your life, once you fix these your marriage will be back up to shape! Maybe you should spend more together time and talk about issues to get them sorted.


God wont be punishing you he will be teaching you a lesson for not keeping to your word, you can be saved as well as your family you just have to try hard and keep to your word next time. Dont try to resolve the issues all at once, it will take time and you best trying one at a time. It will be hard and probably seem like things are getting worse but once you keep on trying and keep your head up things will improve.

I hope the best for you and your family. Things will turn out fine. Believe me. x

HI,

I was looking for the topic "Why GoD Punishing me always' then I got into it... I read, read this page... And I felt some encouagement in wtever you guys said. But I think I have some flicks in my faith. After 5 minutes and tea, I thought dont we manipulating the incidents in the favor of what we believe.

It was correct, I start to have troubles mostly when I recently reached out to GOD. beofre that I think I was powerful enough to dodge it or tackle it. But one day I found there is a big plan he drafted for me. When I start to believe it I found troubles blocking my way. And Explanation I got here the more you close to God the more satan's activities will be.

I strongly believe i have a flutuations in my belief. One day I am so confident about what I believe but by EOD I am down again. Dont you think we need testimonies of our own to belief what we are spreading.

If I am wrong please help me to fix my problems with my believes

Is Jesus God?

hi mate , let give this topic in hands of god and i will pray for this ...... May GOD BLESS YOU