I just realized I am Biblically doomed, and there is nothing I can do about it
By andy77e
@andy77e (5156)
United States
February 22, 2012 3:31am CST
Or at least I can't see what I could do about it.
It's kind of funny really. Now, before I explain, I do understand that ultimately, from an eternal perspective, I believe that Jesus saves, that sin can be forgive through His death and resurrection on the cross. Jesus is the Christ, and He is a alive in Heaven.
So Eternally I am saved through faith in Jesus Christ. But this isn't Heaven, and all you need to do is read the book of Job to figure that out.
So I was thinking, here I am 34 years old, no hope, no future, unemployed, no career, no skills, education, failed out of college, or even a desire for any of that, and wondering why has G-d not given me any help like he does so many others?
Then I remembered when Peter lost faith he sank in the waves. Jesus did not perform many miracles in his own town because they didn't have faith.
So I understand that I must have 'faith' if G-d is going to do anything. But faith in what?
Daniel had faith G-d could prevent him from being eaten by lions. Shadrach meshach and abednego had faith G-d could save them from being burned alive. King David had faith G-d could restore his Kingdom.
This is where I ran into a problem. What do I have faith that G-d can do? Provide me a job? Sure. I've had over 35 different jobs in my 15 years I started working since high school. Hated nearly every one of them.
But then, G-d didn't promise life would be fun did he? Job certainly didn't have a great life. Most of his family was wiped out, and his own wife told him to curse G-d and die. Bet that was fun going to bed the following night.
G-d promised to meet our 'needs'. Food, water, shelter, clothing perhaps. And true to His word, he has provided those things. He never promised to give me a job I enjoyed doing, or that life would be something more enjoyable than a monotonous grind of one day after another, working to live, and living to work.
At this point, I wouldn't even know what G-d could do to make things any different. Sure I believe He could. He could simply zap me with mad doctor skillz, and somehow put me in a situation where I have to do impromptu surgery on someone to save their life, and viola! I have an amazing life career ahead of me!
I can't stand surgery shows on TV, and I'd likely pass out in an ER. So this would have to be one amazing zap to the head. But he could do it.
Is He going to? Somehow I doubt it. Whoops!.. and there's the problem again. In order for something to happen, I have to have faith it will, but I just don't have faith that G-d is going to zap me with something or other, and I'll suddenly have abilities to do something useful and enjoyable for life.
Instead what is more likely to happen is, he'll simply provide a job, like all the other jobs. I'll get up in the morning, go someplace I don't want to go, do something for 8 hours that I don't want to do, and then go home, go to bed, and repeat for the rest of my life, until I am finally freed from this life into Heaven.
Thus, I am Biblically doomed. I can't have faith in something that isn't rationally possible, yet without faith, G-d will not help. I actually find this rather amusing, if not so tragic.
1 person likes this
14 responses
@urbandekay (18278)
•
22 Feb 12
God doesn't make the mountain less step, just gives you the strength to carry on
all the best urban
1 person likes this
@andy77e (5156)
• United States
22 Feb 12
But he didn't! lol. That's just it. I have done my best in life. I can't imagine what I could have done any differently. And yet... all I have is failure to show for it. Why didn't he give me the strength to carry on, like you say?
It's ok though. I have accepted G-d's lot for my life. I will not complain about it. Who am I to question G-d? :)
Best to you.
@urbandekay (18278)
•
23 Feb 12
Then you are still going on, still climbing, uncomfortable as it is, perhaps you are stronger than you know?
all the best urban
@urbandekay (18278)
•
23 Feb 12
So, you have a job, your bills are paid and you have enough to eat, you are then richer than most people in the world. I do not understand your American obsession with labelling people winners or losers, I do not believe it refers to anything real but surely having a job and bills paid and money in the bank makes you a winner?
God is not about becoming rich or material prosperity
all the best urban
@1hopefulman (45123)
• Canada
23 Feb 12
You are only doomed if that is what you want. And even then, God may help you despite the faulty thinking that might be caused by factors beyond your ability to do anything about it. From what you wrote, there seems to be a big problem with your attitude and thinking. But then again, who's to know why you think and feel that way?
1 person likes this
@1hopefulman (45123)
• Canada
8 Mar 12
As you can see, my name is 1hopefulman so I can't agree with you. I can sympathize with your situation because some in this world are not given the recognition they deserve. Some get all the bad breaks.
However, I do believe that eventually for all that have some decency in them, the story will end well, whether it's in this world or the next. That's how I feel!
All I can say, never give up hope!
@peavey (16936)
• United States
23 Feb 12
I read most of the responses and one thing kept coming to mind.
One time, when I thought I was supposed to "do something for God," I was praying earnestly about it, when I "heard" Him say, "I don't want you to do. I want you to be."
Could it be that you're blinded by seeing only what you "do" (as in not having a successful career?) that you're not aware of what you are?
What are you? You're a child of the living God. You have contact with the Being who has the power to give and take our very lives.
Success is in the eye of the beholder. Maybe you need to be more aware of what you're looking at. Just a thought. 
@peavey (16936)
• United States
24 Feb 12
Ok, I'll try again! 
Maybe you're more concerned about being successful according to the world than being successful according to God. They're not the same thing. He want us to BE... to be faithful, to be in touch with Him, to be whatever HE calls us to be... not to be whatever we want to be or whatever the world thinks we should be.
Is that better?
Maybe you're more concerned about being successful according to the world than being successful according to God. They're not the same thing. He want us to BE... to be faithful, to be in touch with Him, to be whatever HE calls us to be... not to be whatever we want to be or whatever the world thinks we should be.
Is that better? @andy77e (5156)
• United States
24 Feb 12
I see. Yes that's a little more clear I think. Well good, then I am successful at what G-d wants, because I am "be-ing" right now! lol :D
I'm not what I had hoped, and I certainly am not anything the world cares about, but I do exist, so here I am 'be-ing'! 
I suppose I have to rejoice in the minor victories since I have no large ones! :D
I suppose I have to rejoice in the minor victories since I have no large ones! :D
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
22 Feb 12
Jesus said "Think of the lilies of the field, how they grow." Can a lily (or any wild flower) have "faith" in the way you are thinking of it? Again, he spoke of sparrows - "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing?" Do sparrows have "faith" (or lack of it)?
The fact is that God cares for us, whether we earnestly try to believe He will solve our problems or not. "Faith" is the fact or state of knowing and accepting that God loves and cares for us. Leave it at that; forget about it (or don't even think about it, since lilies and sparrows cannot); quit worrying about it because you cannot change it and, instead, concern yourself only with the things you can change - the way you behave to your brother men and the things you can actively do to see that you have a roof over your head and food to eat and clothes to wear. God doesn't expect us to sit around doing nothing in the hope that all these things will happen. We are different from lilies and sparrows, perhaps, in that respect. We must be active in our own lives and, if we understand and follow His Way (as plants and animals do by nature), the things we need will come to us.
Man's biggest 'sin' - problem, I would rather say - is knowing and worrying that there IS such a thing as 'sin'. THAT is what the allegory of the 'Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil' is all about!
1 person likes this
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
22 Feb 12
I didn't mean to suggest that you, personally, were sitting around pretending to be a lily or a sparrow. I can believe that Jesus was telling those stories with a touch of irony. The Jews as a race have always had a very well developed sense of humour.
Nor did I mean to say that there is no such thing as 'sin'. The concept seems to have developed, however, alongside our perception of "free will" and the idea that we can 'please' or 'displease' God. It's a great pity that most established religions purvey it as 'breaking the rules' (the rules, of course, having been strictly laid down by said religion).
I'm sorry if you think that ALL of the Bible is 'historically accurate' or literally 'the Words of God'. You are in a minority as far as Christians, theologians and those whose business it is to study religious texts and religion.
@deedee328 (1122)
• United States
24 Feb 12
andy77: Have you any clue what direction you would like to move forward in? You seem to realize that you can't ask for God's help to get you moving in the right direction if you are not willing to pick up your feet. You have to decide what this "useful and enjoyable" work for you would be.
I have a question for you. I am merely just curious as I have seen other posts where people spell God out like you did. Why do you type G-d instead of God?
@andy77e (5156)
• United States
24 Feb 12
http://judaism.about.com/od/judaismbasics/a/Why-Do-Some-Jews-Spell-God-G-D.htm
Habit I've picked up.
Nope, no idea what I should try. There were about a dozen different times where I thought "This is it!", and that has consistently been followed by a massive crash, broken heart, ruined life, and here I am.
In short, to be honest, I not only don't know what I should try, but I'm actually terrified of it now. It's like hitting your finger with a hammer. If you mashed your finger 10 out of 10 times, trying to get a nail in... wouldn't you eventually be scared of hammers?
That's where I am, except instead of hammers, I'm scared of life. LOL :D That sounds so funny to me.
@andy77e (5156)
• United States
24 Feb 12
Well, I'll give you my story, the short version.
I started working my second year of high school, McDonalds. I've worked multiple jobs, every year to this day.
When I got to college, I though for sure I was would be a computer programmer! That was my thing. My first year, I failed out of the pre-req computer course. It's the opening course to get into the rest of the computer classes. I went again, and failed out of the pre-req again. I went back a third time. This time I only went to that one class, no others. I spent hours and hours in the computer lab. Basically if I wasn't working, I was at school in the lab, working on that class.
I failed. Having now spent nearly one year, and thousands of dollars, for three consecutive failures, and making absolutely no notable progress each time, I gave up.
At this point I got a job working as a computer technician at a company, and worked there for about a year and half. I thought perhaps this is it for me. This is my lot in life. Standing at an assembly line, screwing in CD-ROMs on IBM computers with a screw driver. $9/hr barely surviving, and almost no benefits.
But... then the company sold off the department to another company, which promptly closed it. From there I bounced around from job to job to job.
In 2001, I enrolled in a training course to learn how to work on cars, because I always found how cars work to be interesting. During the course, I did very well. I scored the highest on every test. Sadly, working on cars is more about turning wrenches, than answering test questions.
I got a job at a dealership mechanic training program. I broke so many cars, so often, I was starving. The company can't pay you to break cars, and my check was sometimes barely a $100 for two weeks.
Faced with starving or quitting, I quit. I spent a year working at a car parts store, and hated retail. From there I tried Information Technology, and found myself baffled by everything. I broke so many computers, it was a joke. The company got rid of me, and I don't blame them one bit.
I loved to drive, so I tried truck driving. Even ex-convicts can do truck driving, so obviously I should be able to handle it. Instead I found I couldn't sleep in the truck well enough, and had to quit for safety concerns. Falling asleep in an 18-wheeler doing 65 MPH down a highway turns out to be dangerous.
I attempted sales, and that went badly as well. In short, I have attempted to do everything that I found interesting, everything I thought I would enjoy. Every area of life that I thought I could succeed and by happy doing, I have failed at. Trying again and again, has not yielded anything, but more pain.
In just 3 months from now, I will be 35 years old. My life will be half over, assuming I live to an average age of 70. I have nothing to look forward to, except that end. :)
If you wish to pray for me, by all means. G-d has not listened to me, perhaps he will listen to you.
@deedee328 (1122)
• United States
24 Feb 12
andy77: I take it from your earlier posts that you are still relatively young. Maybe you are just stressing out over this undecided course a little too much. Have you just tried to relax and contemplate about your interests and hobbies? The experts say you should choose a career that incorporates your interest to help insure happiness in your job.
Oh, I feel sad that you are now terrified. I see your point, but I also believe in "if first you don't succeed, try, try again". It is hard sometimes, but it will have to be you that makes yourself believe that God really will guide you in the way you should go, and it is only you that can convince yourself that there is something out there for you.
I shall pray for you if you would like for me to.
@andy77e (5156)
• United States
23 Feb 12
Well I do appreciate you trying to help. I do.
But, you do see that this isn't all that helpful, right?
If you told me "You are to be a vegetarian", I would know exactly what you wanted me to do. I could then do the command I was given to do, and achieve the goal.
Instead, I'm supposed to be something, but it's a big mystery. Since I have no idea what exactly I'm supposed to be, I have to randomly try something, and when it fails I get crushed.
I hope that you are not right, because if you are, that means G-d is like a mad scientist putting rats in mazes and shocking them when they go the wrong way. As if G-d is up there saying 'oh just shock him again. He'll figure out the big mystery at some point'.
Instead, just like the lab rats, you eventually learn you can't do anything and give up.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learned_helplessness
@iuliuxd (4453)
• Romania
23 Feb 12
You know that is a big mystery even if it is written plain and simple in the bible.We can`t understand it because for us this material world is much more important than what is written in the bible.
I think we can try to become better and better every day and never think about ourselves as good enough.
@flowerchilde (12529)
• United States
23 Feb 12
Most of all, I hope you are able to live a very simple and frugal life. Also, before I include useful pointers on this, the bible says (in the new testament letters) that we should 'die to self' or that is, to reckon ourselves as crucified with Christ.. die to self interest. This of course can only be done through prayer, and yield, yield, yielding one's self to God and/or Christ (in prayer). If you have had 35 jobs, well, no one likes to work, that's why it's called 'work', however if you hate working so very much, and I totally understand the feeling, perhaps simplify your life, rent a room rather than an apartment and walk rather than drive, and if it's not too late don't have any children or even pets. Cook your own simple meals rather than eat out, shop for food at discount stores like Aldi's (here in the U.S. anyway) and buy other supplies at dollar stores. Then perhaps part time simple work will be enough to support your own needs. Move to a warm place and become a vagabond for a while.. Camp for the summer somewhere.. while you devote your self to deep prayer and earnest seeking of His face concerning your life. God bless! and very best wishes..
@andy77e (5156)
• United States
23 Feb 12
Good news! I have walked to work many days. I am now living in a place my parents are paying for because I can't. I have no pets, no children, no wife, and I cook meals at home! I purchase $8 shirts at walmart, and have almost nothing that wasn't given to me by someone who didn't want it.
For over the past 10 years, I have had a diet of just rice, and chicken. Steamed with some vegies.
Most years I earn about $17K and I routinely save money.
I live about as frugally as I can think to do, and I no longer have the desire to advance in life at all!
In short, I think I have inadvertently achieved everything you suggest, with the exception of just living as a vagabond!
In some sense I have taken your advice to heart, before I knew it! :D
Best to you! :)
@speedy1279 (2665)
• United States
23 Feb 12
I can't help but understand where you are coming from. I too struggle with keeping my faith in the Lord. My husband and I have struggled for over 3 years now trying to make ends meet. He too has been unemployed this whole time and I only work a part time job. Yet my husband is the one who has unbelievable faith that keeps us going. I can say I have gotten better in my faith but it is always a work in progress. At the same time I am reminded that the Lord answering our prayers and providing us what we need is more than just having faith.
We have to ask our selves, "What have we done for him?" We can't expect him to answer our prayers to fulfill our needs if we aren't doing anything for him. Also, we must keep in mind that the Lord answers our prayers on his time, when he feels it's the right time. Not when we want our prayers answered.
@speedy1279 (2665)
• United States
24 Feb 12
Well, I'm still fixing it. That's my point. My husband and I continue to struggle even though my husband has complete faith and my faith is growing steadily. I know it's because I am not doing everything that I should be doing for the Lord. Yes, I pray everyday, but at the same time I don't always read the Bible everyday like the Lord wants me to, I don't always pay my tithes as the Bible says to as I have a fear that if I pay them then I won't have enough money to pay my bills.
@andy77e (5156)
• United States
24 Feb 12
Somehow I doubt that's it. You have read the book of Job, right? He absolutely everything G-d wanted him to. G-d himself said there is none like him, as devoted as Job. Yet if you read what happened to Job, his entire life was completely trashed, ruined and destroyed. Even Job himself cursed the day he was born, and wished that he had been stillborn.
So somehow, I don't think that just reading a few verses, and paying a tithe is going to fix everything. Not that those are not good things, for sure they are. Just, likely not the magic key to fixing life.
I've tithed on everything, and I know more of the Bible than most. I'm a zero at prayer though. I never know what to say to him. They normally end up "you are great Lord. Um... I could use a job. Thanks. Later."
@chrystaltears (3392)
• United States
23 Feb 12
Hi andy77e. Sorry to see you are going through these struggles right now. I don't know your age, but sometimes the fewer life's experiences or disasters or grief you have been through the more difficult it is for you to handle what is going on presently.
Okay, as you well know, this all happened in the garden with man. Therefore we have to work. I don't like it either. Either work or live on the streets is the way it has been since then.
A way that I learned to have a stronger faith was to keep the word (God's promises) on my heart and out of my mouth. In other words, if you have a book of God's promises, or just go in the bible and find some. Eat of the word 3 times a day as you would a medicine or a meal. Your faith will become stronger and instead of stating negative comments all the time, you will start to believe positively and state positive comments which cause them to come to pass.
'The Lord provides all my needs according to His riches in Glory'
An example. How much does He own? Everything. You can't imagine how much He could spare for you. Can you?
God Bless you.
@JohnRok1 (2051)
•
23 Feb 12
Andy, it's people that will not work shouldn't eat, not people that cannot work. If God has given you time on your hands, why not ask Him to teach you to praise and pray effectively, both for yourself and others? If you can do that, you're better than a lot of us, I can tell you! It's hard work and even harder to know how to do it and believe that your prayers are going to make much of a difference. But if you do it, you may be dust, but you are GOLD DUST! And pray for me (I've had a reasonably successful career, though not as lucrative as it might have been - but achievement for God in it is just as imponderable as it is for someone who's "unemployed" - though no Christian, walking truly in God's will, is truly unemployed).
Actually, if you really break through on that front, you know who will really want you to have a job so you don't pray so much and lead so many to the Saviour, don't you? And you may have to take that job, but if you continue to walk with God, He has a way of having the last laugh even when Satan thinks he has obtained his purpose.
@craziestqueenever (1819)
• Philippines
23 Feb 12
I respect your perspective about God. I may not be able to change it but it's okay, At least you still believe that there is God yet, you can't feel his presence.
In a drama that I watched earlier, one of the character didn't believe on God and the other person believe on God. They both came in a place where there is no God but the other one still believe on God. The one who believe on God says " Living a life with God will gave you faith but if you will still won't believe nothing will lose"
If you believe on God, you will be in peace with your soul and you'll have faith.
@sweetajlo (175)
• Philippines
22 Feb 12
i believe in the bible too as it is holy and sacred too...it is where we get our history from creation to fall and till now...it is where we get strength when we are weak, got some answers when we loss our faith and trust...talk about life's struggle we could get there too...love story there is...what else???lots of events happen in the bible that we could relate to us now...everything is in that small book that even us human neglect to read and learn from that small book...
@winston90 (296)
• Romania
22 Feb 12
I believe The Bible, a.k.a. The Book of Books, as you guys like to call it, was promissing you an eternal and joyfull AFTERLIFE, if you have a pure heart, you don't swear, you throw the bubble gum when you enter the churc, etc.
In the Bible there was no promise that your actual life will be any different if you are a believer or not, just that your soul will be saved from eternal hellfire, so there will be childish to pray to God for a Ferrari F40, just because you did not fight at school, when someone called you a nerd.
Regarding the "doom" part, I believe even the Pope is not far from your situation.
P.S.:The afterlife is just as black and empty as t was before you were born/conceived.
P.P.S.:I am ready for what is coming next. The wave of responses. Fire at will.
@andy77e (5156)
• United States
22 Feb 12
Yes, I agree completely. He never promised me a fulfilling life, and the LORD certainly does not owe me one. So why would I expect it?
Actually I got into a lot of fights at school, and they did far worse than call me a nerd. But as you say that doesn't entitle me to anything either.
Me too. Just let the world crush me. Might as well get used to. :D
@tbhavill (13)
•
22 Feb 12
Hey, I know how ya feel. There are tons of people in the same boat that you are. I too am unemployed right now and just living day to day. But I have a great family behind me and have faith that God will take care of things. However, I will have to put forth some effort too. I went to church last Sunday and that helps too. I hadn't been to church in a few years. My mom says that church always helps her get thru the week. And you know what she was right! We must have faith!
