Was there ever "the moment" of faith for you?

I sometimes think about this. I haven't ever been a religious person and haven't quite had the sense that I had much of a faith. That being said, I know many people who are religious seemed to have a moment or a series of moments where faith was either incredibly strengthened or had been instituted. So, in the interest of "good faith" (if you will), I was curious how many of you had been convinced or overcome with faith and the presence of a higher being at at least one point in your lives, and if so willing, what caused it?

Fiddytree said:

I sometimes think about this. I haven't ever been a religious person and haven't quite had the sense that I had much of a faith. That being said, I know many people who are religious seemed to have a moment or a series of moments where faith was either incredibly strengthened or had been instituted. So, in the interest of "good faith" (if you will), I was curious how many of you had been convinced or overcome with faith and the presence of a higher being at at least one point in your lives, and if so willing, what caused it?

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Even though I am a doubting Thomas there is something strange that happened to me when I was about 12 or 13 years old that still discourages me from doubting the faith.

This was a normal church service. There was a kid visiting my church. My brother and I were messing around and talking to him. I wasn't even engrossed in the service. I was paying little attention at all. A man sang this song. The title of the song was, "There's a Man in Here". People were shouting and saying things like, "Hallelujah". I was sitting down and something took over my body. I stood up and said, "Praise the Lord" with no effort from myself. Nothing like that has ever happened to me since then and nothing happened to me like that before then. It was a personal thing and I can't prove that it happened. I'm the only one that knows that it really happened. My faith wasn't weak at that point in my life. I didn't start to doubt until I was 17 years old. I can't say that that event strengthened my faith but the memory of that event has served to strengthen my faith from time to time.

I have yet to hear a psychological or scientific explanation that suffices to explain why that happened to me and why it only happened once. It seems that if my mind was manipulated into the experience or if it was a psychotic episode then it would have happened more than just once. :shrug: It's a complete puzzle to me.

Fiddytree said:

I sometimes think about this. I haven't ever been a religious person and haven't quite had the sense that I had much of a faith. That being said, I know many people who are religious seemed to have a moment or a series of moments where faith was either incredibly strengthened or had been instituted. So, in the interest of "good faith" (if you will), I was curious how many of you had been convinced or overcome with faith and the presence of a higher being at at least one point in your lives, and if so willing, what caused it?

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Having humbly given my life to God, to do as He wills, I think , is what caused the series of events in my life.
Looking back (in hindsight), I saw and understood that He was also there for me in specific past events when I was astray.

I think humbleness before God is really very important.

I used to be a Born-Again-Christian. When I was around 20 I found myself in a cheap hotel room on the verge of killing myself due to my life falling apart and a falling out with my family. I opened the Bible in the bedside stand and started reading the New Testament. I had read it before but this time I "opened myself up" to it.

I began crying, got on my knees and asked Christ to be my Lord and Savior. I was about as far right of a fundamentalist Christian as one can be for about 2 years. My faith was so strong if you had put a gun to my head and threatened to kill me if I didn't renounce Christ I would have happily taken the bullet.

That didn't last though. My brain eventually woke up and a couple decades later I am now an atheist. But I remember vividly what it was like to be a True Believer.

BrewerBob said:

My faith was so strong if you had put a gun to my head and threatened to kill me if I didn't renounce Christ I would have happily taken the bullet.

That didn't last though. My brain eventually woke up and a couple decades later I am now an atheist. But I remember vividly what it was like to be a True Believer.

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I can relate to everything that you said. As an atheist I can honestly say that the happiest times in my life were those times when I was a True Believer.

Fiddytree said:

I sometimes think about this. I haven't ever been a religious person and haven't quite had the sense that I had much of a faith. That being said, I know many people who are religious seemed to have a moment or a series of moments where faith was either incredibly strengthened or had been instituted. So, in the interest of "good faith" (if you will), I was curious how many of you had been convinced or overcome with faith and the presence of a higher being at at least one point in your lives, and if so willing, what caused it?

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I know there's something. I'm just not sure what it is. Hours before mom passed away, she was talking to her sister. I am convinced her sister took her by the hand and lead her home. There is something more. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

Fiddytree said:

I sometimes think about this. I haven't ever been a religious person and haven't quite had the sense that I had much of a faith. That being said, I know many people who are religious seemed to have a moment or a series of moments where faith was either incredibly strengthened or had been instituted. So, in the interest of "good faith" (if you will), I was curious how many of you had been convinced or overcome with faith and the presence of a higher being at at least one point in your lives, and if so willing, what caused it?

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Quite a few times, actually. Cause? God.

Thank you for sharing so far, everyone. I know this sub-forum is contentious, but as religion is highly personal and/or intellectual, I wanted to see if we could have a respectful conversation or sharing about what made it so for all of you. I was very much curious if faith was innate or spurred by events in your lives which made it real for you.

Yes, I have. Very hard to describe but unmistakable.

A simple thing I can tell you is that hell is really nothing more than being seperated from God. No fire or torment could be worse once you know what it is that you lose.

To me the moment came in a dream. I always was born of atheist parents. As a youth in high school I was just as much a trouble-maker as anybody that age. I was in a rock band, a partier, engaging in mischief, let's just call it that. Religious thought was far from my mind. Then one night I had a dream which I never forgot. I walked in a crowded place, may people going to and fro and then one face appeared out of the crowd, came in front of me and said "You know, Christ was not a person, he was a way of life." And that moment, changed me

Fiddytree said:

I sometimes think about this. I haven't ever been a religious person and haven't quite had the sense that I had much of a faith. That being said, I know many people who are religious seemed to have a moment or a series of moments where faith was either incredibly strengthened or had been instituted. So, in the interest of "good faith" (if you will), I was curious how many of you had been convinced or overcome with faith and the presence of a higher being at at least one point in your lives, and if so willing, what caused it?

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I've had my moments where I've sensed the presence of something. I literally heard and saw something, along with my German Shepherd, back in May. I didn't perceive what it was to be of religious or mythological canon. A higher being doesn't have to be Godly to outmatch an average human being. Brain Science has made advancements in the functionality of the human brain, think Bourne Legacy. There are more perfect versions of us walking around among the rest of us. And just wait until Artificial Intelligence comes around full steam. That will be a higher being than us too.

MaggieD said:

I know there's something. I'm just not sure what it is. Hours before mom passed away, she was talking to her sister. I am convinced her sister took her by the hand and lead her home. There is something more. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

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My mom did the same thing except it was more like she was reliving childhood memories because even though she was calling out a lot to her sister and aunt who helped raise her, she was also fussing at one of her brothers for trying to get her in trouble. One of my aunts called out for her mom a lot during her final hours. I too believe that there is something, but I am not sure that type of death bed activity is the best indicator.

Fiddytree said:

I sometimes think about this. I haven't ever been a religious person and haven't quite had the sense that I had much of a faith. That being said, I know many people who are religious seemed to have a moment or a series of moments where faith was either incredibly strengthened or had been instituted. So, in the interest of "good faith" (if you will), I was curious how many of you had been convinced or overcome with faith and the presence of a higher being at at least one point in your lives, and if so willing, what caused it?

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For many I've talked with, it's the moment when people come to the end of themselves, and they cry out to Jesus and surrender their lives and will to him and ask him to live through them. Eleven out of twelve Christians in one of my Masters' theology class related the same thing. That's when the Holy Spirit came to them and changed their lives.

Surrender of one's life and will to Christ - recognizing him as one's Lord and Savior for the remission of their sins - is the key. Few preachers ever preach that message and it's a shame.

Some people have a spiritual experience and then there's this from Matthew 13:

3 Then he (Jesus) told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

Ask my uncle with heart disease.

Logicman said:

For many I've talked with, it's the moment when people come to the end of themselves, and they cry out to Jesus and surrender their lives and will to him and ask him to live through them. Eleven out of twelve Christians in one of my Masters' theology class related the same thing. That's when the Holy Spirit came to them and changed their lives.

Surrender of one's life and will to Christ - recognizing him as one's Lord and Savior for the remission of their sins - is the key. Few preachers ever preach that message and it's a shame.

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I will have to strongly disagree because I have consistently heard this message all my life and have been a member of more than one denomination and attended the services of many.

But it wasn't until I was an adult that I understand "surrender," which is a daily battle for us all. "Thy will be done," you know, not mine.

How about a moment when you lost your faith.

nota bene said:

I will have to strongly disagree because I have consistently heard this message all my life and have been a member of more than one denomination and attended the services of many.

But it wasn't until I was an adult that I understand "surrender," which is a daily battle for us all. "Thy will be done," you know, not mine.

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Here's something to help you out with that:

The Holy Spirit Seeks Surrendered Lives | Westside Christian Fellowship

When our grandchild was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor.
After the doctors did all they could, I let faith take over.
So far, so good.

But it doesn't answer the obvious question....why does she survive when others do not?

CRUE CAB said:

How about a moment when you lost your faith.

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Probably a good topic for another thread (if people remain as respectful as they are here, anyway).