I can't find God

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For a little backstory, I’ve been a Christian my whole life. I love God so much. I read my Bible everyday and follow God the best I can. I’ve removed any habitual sin I can find, and try my best to stay out of trouble. But the last few weeks I just can’t find God. I don’t feel like He’s here for some reason. That’s been causing me to doubt God’s existence, and I hate myself for that. God has to be real. One thing I’ve noticed while having doubts is that I have an extreme desire for God, or knowing God more. I’ve prayed, asked for guidance many times, asked for God to reveal himself to me, remove any doubt, but even through that, I don’t feel His presence and it’s scaring me. I’m looking for advice, or maybe just someone who’s had this problem because I have no idea what to do.
 
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Remember the passage where God was not in the earthquake, the storm, the fire, but rather in that tiny little breeze?

Sometimes the best way to “find” God is in little things. Those things that just happen to work out that could have gone very wrong. Those little unexpected coincidence that weren’t expected. That little kindness you got.

Once you see the subtle, little things, you start noticing God in bigger and bigger things. Until, finally, you notice He is always there.

Blessings,
 
b04b03 said:
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St. John of the Cross, excerpt from Dark Night of the Soul, First Book, On a Dark Night, Chapter II, 8.
But souls who in the beginning journey with this kind of perfection are, as I understand, and as has been said, a minority, and very few are those who we can be glad do not fall into the opposite errors. For this reason, as we shall afterwards say, God leads into the dark night those whom He desires to purify from all these imperfections so that He may bring them farther onward.
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http://www.carmelitemonks.org/Vocation/DarkNight-StJohnoftheCross.pdf
 
First of all understand that nobody now living has seen God. So don’t attempt for that.Except in Eucharist and while receiving communion he is not directly present before us but you can experience throughout your life his power and glory, grace and mercy and protection and blessings only if you intentionally seek for it (and not otherwise) .So be calm and confident.The experience by yourself of his various qualities may not be in the manner you expect,but nevertheless it will be available and known to you if you genuinly desire for it…
 
joseie said:
First of all understand that nobody now living has seen God.
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Um, you noted in your next sentence we see him in the Eucharist on a regular basis, so we see him every single day in physical form there.

If you meant “see God in some other form than Eucharist”, such as a private revelation, then it’s entirely possible that some people now living have seen him in such a revelation, although Catholics are not required to believe in such revelations. Still, the possibility exists. And those people who receive such revelations may very well keep it to themselves or only share the information with their spiritual advisor, trusted friends, etc.

I agree with you that neither the OP nor anyone else should be trying to see God in a private revelation because God would choose who (if anyone) he wishes to give that charism to, and does not give it to people “upon request”.
 
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I second that. I am reading St John of the Cross, great mystic. He also says that at times the soul just needs to stay still, at rest, and let God touch you.
 
This is some Hindu religious concept- that God is present everywhere including in inanimate object etc.Buy do we christians hold such a view? No.
 
@YourNameHere’s remark can be understood from Matthew 25:37-40:
“Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’”
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… and possibly also from Church teaching on the Eucharist – isn’t this the meaning of the word Communion? Jesus prayed that all (or all who believe?) would be one (e.g., John 17:20-21):
“I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me."
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God is in everyone-God is everywhere.No need to do much distinction between the two.
At any rate the concept that God is in every one sound a bit odd.What Jesus said (that whatever you did,you did it for me) need not be stretched to mean that those in need were in fact Jesus only.Why Jesus should appear in that pathetic stage requiring alms etc.? Instead of taking all the trouble for this,he could have very well provided help to them.What he actually meant obviously is that help the needy as if you are doing some thing for my glory and not that it was actually Jesus who is there disguised as the beggar etc.
 
b04b03 said:
I’m looking for advice, or maybe just someone who’s had this problem because I have no idea what to do.
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Getting back to the original question, and tying it to our side-discussion…

… @b04b03, you mention that you read the Bible and follow the commandments. Those are excellent. I wish I read the Bible every day and removed habitual sin; I’m still working on it.

Pardon me for asking, but is your faith entirely about your relationship with God? Of course there is another dimension to faith, which is our connection to others. Are there times when you share your faith with others? Do you share your time and energy in service to others? Pray for others?
 
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b04b03 said:
For a little backstory, I’ve been a Christian my whole life. I love God so much. I read my Bible everyday and follow God the best I can. I’ve removed any habitual sin I can find, and try my best to stay out of trouble. But the last few weeks I just can’t find God. I don’t feel like He’s here for some reason. That’s been causing me to doubt God’s existence, and I hate myself for that. God has to be real. One thing I’ve noticed while having doubts is that I have an extreme desire for God, or knowing God more. I’ve prayed, asked for guidance many times, asked for God to reveal himself to me, remove any doubt, but even through that, I don’t feel His presence and it’s scaring me. I’m looking for advice, or maybe just someone who’s had this problem because I have no idea what to do.
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God works silently behind the scenes.
 
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I do as much as I can to be a witness to other people but 99% of the people I know are already Christians, and I’m extremely introverted so I don’t meet new people a lot
 
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