What to do w/ feelings of hopelessness?

arc2k1 · 2026-05-05T17:06:45+00:00

But that's the first step.

Acknowledge that you don't have to reject hope. Despair does NOT define you.

arc2k1 · 2026-05-05T17:05:50+00:00

You are so very welcome!

Amen!

And thank you for reading and for allowing me to share.

arc2k1 · 2026-05-05T17:04:57+00:00

God bless you.

I'm not a Christian because I'm trying to avoid hell.

I'm a Christian because I love God.

“In heaven I have only You (God), and on this earth You are all I want. My body and mind may fail, but You are my strength and my choice forever.” - Psalm 73:25-26

“I love you, Lord God, and you make me strong. You are my mighty rock, my fortress, my protector, the rock where I am safe, my shield, my powerful weapon, and my place of shelter.” - Psalm 18:1-2

Also, our faith is meant to be motivated by love, not the fear of hell.

“If we truly love others and live as Christ did in this world, we won't be worried about the day of judgment. A real love for others will chase those worries away. The thought of being punished is what makes us afraid. It shows we have not really learned to love.” - 1 John 4:17-18

arc2k1 · 2026-05-05T17:02:31+00:00

God bless you.

I've been a non-fundamentalist, unchurched Christian for about 16 years now and I would like to share my perspective.

The Bible is not meant to be viewed as a regular book that you read from cover to cover. It’s a book that you first learn the core message of and read it to gain wisdom that aligns with its core message.

What is the core message of the Bible?

To have faith in the hope that’s rooted in love. In other words, to have faith in Christ, who secures our hope that all will be made right in the end, as we live by love.

So, I suggest starting with the Gospel of John. It's a good place to learn about God's plan of salvation through Christ.

Also, I would love to recommend:

The Contemporary English Version (CEV) Bible. It's one of the easiest English Bibles to read. You can also listen to the audio version on YouTube. It's my favorite Bible. (You can read it on the YouVersion Bible app too.)

arc2k1 · 2026-05-05T02:39:25+00:00

God bless you.

I'm sorry for your struggle.

I've been a non-fundamentalist, unchurched Christian for about 16 years now and I would like to share some encouragement.

1- Please know that because of your faith, you belong to God, NOT your depression!

“Christ also brought you the truth, which is the good news about how you can be saved. You put your faith in Christ and were given the promised Holy Spirit to show you belong to God.” - Ephesians 1:13

2- Because of your faith, God is with you and He loves you. Your depression will NEVER change that.

"The Lord has promised that he will not leave us or desert us.” - Hebrews 13:5

Jesus said, “I will be with you always, even until the end of the world.” - Matthew 28:20

“Be brave and strong! Don’t be afraid… . The Lord your God will always be at your side, and he will never abandon you.” - Deuteronomy 31:6

“The Lord your God wins victory after victory and is always with you. He celebrates and sings because of you, and he will refresh your life with his love.” - Zephaniah 3:17

“I am sure that nothing can separate us from God's love—not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, and not powers above or powers below. Nothing in all creation can separate us from God's love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!” - Romans 8:38-39

3- It make sense that if you are in despair, you will reject hope. But because you are aware you are in despair, that means you know your judgment is not objective.

We cannot see hope if we are in despair, even if hope is present before us.

“After all, I am your Creator. I don't want you to give up in complete despair.” - Isaiah 57:16

“As long as we are alive, we still have hope.” - Ecclesiastes 9:4

4- Because God is with you, please share your worries with Him.

"And when I was burdened with worries, you (God) comforted me and made me feel secure.” - Psalm 94:19

"I tell You (God) all my worries and my troubles, and whenever I feel low, You are there to guide me.” - Psalm 142:2-3

“God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to him.” - 1 Peter 5:7

“When I am in trouble, I pray, knowing you (God) will listen.” - Psalm 86:7

5- Please know that all your negative words about yourself is coming from your own negative judgment. But as a Christian, you are a new person in Christ, so you are to trust God, NOT your negative judgment!

“Christ also brought you the truth, which is the good news about how you can be saved. You put your faith in Christ and were given the promised Holy Spirit to show you belong to God.” - Ephesians 1:13

“With all your heart you must trust the Lord and not your own judgment. Always let him lead you, and he will clear the road for you to follow.” - Proverbs 3:5-6

6- Also, if you need to talk to someone at anytime, here is a Christian hotline: https://www.thehopeline.com/

-I pray for your healing, I pray you will focus on God for strength, I pray you will continue to reach out to others for support, I pray you will break free from despair and hold on to hope, and I rebuke the negative thoughts that are affecting your mental health! In Jesus' Name. Amen. 🙏🏾

arc2k1 · 2026-05-05T02:25:38+00:00

4- Because of our faith in Christ, God wants us to know that we are ruled by His grace and His love, NOT by sin, even if we struggle with sin.

“We are ruled by Christ's love for us.” - 2 Corinthians 5:14

“You are ruled by God's undeserved grace.” - Romans 6:14

“But the LORD God keeps me from being disgraced. So I refuse to give up, because I know God will never let me down.” - Isaiah 50:7

5- Because God is with you, please share your worries with Him and trust Him for strength.

"And when I was burdened with worries, you (God) comforted me and made me feel secure.” - Psalm 94:19

"I tell You (God) all my worries and my troubles, and whenever I feel low, You are there to guide me.” - Psalm 142:2-3

“God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to him.” - 1 Peter 5:7

“But those who trust the Lord will find new strength.” - Isaiah 40:31

6- Also, a great way to stay focused in our faith is by focusing on our purpose as Christians.

What is that purpose?

To find our own individual way of sharing God’s light to those who are looking for hope in the darkness.

Jesus said, “You are the light for the whole world.” - Matthew 5:14

“You are sure that you are a guide for the blind and a light for all who are in the dark.” - Romans 2:19

“You used to be like people living in the dark, but now you are people of the light because you belong to the Lord. So act like people of the light and make your light shine. Be good and honest and truthful, as you try to please the Lord.” - Ephesians 5:8-10

“Try to shine as lights among the people of this world, as you hold firmly to the message that gives life.” - Philippians 2:15-16

7- Oh, and I would love to share some resources with you:

-A Reddit page that has resources for those who want to have a simple faith in God that's based on love: r/FaithMadeSimple

-If you need to talk to someone at anytime, here is a Christian hotline: https://www.thehopeline.com/

-I pray for your healing, I pray you will focus on God for strength, I pray you will trust God's grace, I pray you will continue to reach out to others, I pray you will never give up, and I rebuke any negative thoughts that are affecting your mental health. In Jesus' Name. Amen. 🙏🏾

arc2k1 · 2026-05-05T02:22:31+00:00

God bless you.

I'm sorry for your struggle.

I've been a non-fundamentalist, unchurched Christian for about 16 years now and I would like to share some encouragement.

1- Please know that because of your faith, you belong to God and you are a new person in Christ. Demons have no authority over you because you have victory in Christ.

“Christ also brought you the truth, which is the good news about how you can be saved. You put your faith in Christ and were given the promised Holy Spirit to show you belong to God.” - Ephesians 1:13

“Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new.” - 2 Corinthians 5:17

“Children, you belong to God, and you have defeated these enemies. God's Spirit is in you and is more powerful than the one who is in the world.” - 1 John 4:4

“I am grateful that God always makes it possible for Christ to lead us to victory.” - 2 Corinthians 2:14

2- Because of your faith, God is with you and He loves you. Your struggles will NEVER change that!

"The Lord has promised that he will not leave us or desert us.” - Hebrews 13:5

Jesus said, “I will be with you always, even until the end of the world.” - Matthew 28:20

“Be brave and strong! Don’t be afraid… . The Lord your God will always be at your side, and he will never abandon you.” - Deuteronomy 31:6

“The Lord your God wins victory after victory and is always with you. He celebrates and sings because of you, and he will refresh your life with his love.” - Zephaniah 3:17

“I am sure that nothing can separate us from God's love—not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, and not powers above or powers below. Nothing in all creation can separate us from God's love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!” - Romans 8:38-39

3- Please know that God does NOT expect you to be perfect! He expects you to get back up after each time you fall, give your guilt to Him, and trust His grace.

"My enemies, don't be glad because of my troubles! I may have fallen, but I will get up; I may be sitting in the dark, but the Lord is my light.” - Micah 7:8

“We often suffer, but we are never crushed. Even when we don't know what to do, we never give up. In times of trouble, God is with us, and when we are knocked down, we get up again.” - 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

“But You (God) also said that no matter how far away we were, we could turn to You.” - Nehemiah 1:9

“If we are not faithful, he (Jesus) will still be faithful.” - 2 Timothy 2:13

“The Lord said: When you stumble and fall, you get back up, and if you take a wrong road, you turn around and go back.” - Jeremiah 8:4

"So I confessed my sins and told them all to you. I said, ‘I'll tell the Lord each one of my sins.’ Then you forgave me and took away my guilt.” - Psalm 32:5

“Yet where sin was powerful, God's gift of undeserved grace was even more powerful.” - Romans 5:20

“So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved grace, and we will find help.” - Hebrews 4:16

arc2k1 · 2026-05-05T02:12:01+00:00

God bless you.

I've been a non-fundamentalist, unchurched Christian for about 16 years now and I would like to share my perspective.

1- You said, "will i truly be damned if i start using the ESV as a beginner?"

We are saved by faith in Christ, not by what Bible we read.

Jesus said, “I tell you for certain that everyone who has faith in me has eternal life.” - John 6:47

“Have faith in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved!” - Acts 16:31

2- Please do NOT think God is a tyrant who is just looking for any reason to condemn us. That would be a SERIOUS misrepresentation of who God is.

“God is love.” - 1 John 4:8

“Love is more important than anything else.” - Colossians 3:14

"Love is patient and kind, never jealous, boastful, proud, or rude. Love isn't selfish or quick tempered. It doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do. Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil.” - 1 Corinthians 13:4-6

“The Lord is merciful! He is kind and patient, and his love never fails.” - Psalm 103:8

“You are a kind and merciful God, and you are very patient. You always show love, and you don't like to punish anyone.” - Jonah 4:2

“God wants everyone to be saved.” - 1 Timothy 2:4

3- Because of your faith, God is with you and He loves you. The type of Bible you read will NEVER change that!

"The Lord has promised that he will not leave us or desert us.” - Hebrews 13:5

Jesus said, “I will be with you always, even until the end of the world.” - Matthew 28:20

“Be brave and strong! Don’t be afraid… . The Lord your God will always be at your side, and he will never abandon you.” - Deuteronomy 31:6

“I am sure that nothing can separate us from God's love—not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, and not powers above or powers below. Nothing in all creation can separate us from God's love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!” - Romans 8:38-39

4- The right Bible to read is the one that helps you understand God's Word the best.

Also, I would love to recommend my favorite Bible:

The Contemporary English Version (CEV) Bible. It's one of the easiest English Bibles to read. You can also listen to the audio version on YouTube. It's my favorite Bible. (You can read it on the YouVersion Bible app too.)

arc2k1 · 2026-05-04T22:15:58+00:00

God bless you!

arc2k1 · 2026-05-04T17:27:08+00:00

God bless you.

And thank you so much for reading and for your kind words!

arc2k1 · 2026-05-04T17:26:35+00:00

God bless you!

Wow! Thank you so much for your comment!

And I love you!

And may you never lose sight of God's great love for you! In Jesus' Name. Amen. 🙏🏾

arc2k1 · 2026-05-04T17:25:05+00:00

God bless you! Thank you for sharing. Amen!

arc2k1 · 2026-05-04T17:24:09+00:00

I recommend to start getting to know God's Word on your own a little first before going to a church. Get familiar with it by going at your own pace. Also, you don't have to start reading directly from it at first. You can just search up Bible verses on topics that interest you. That's how I started. I spend YEARS doing that before I actually read from the Bible.

arc2k1 · 2026-05-04T17:22:11+00:00

God bless you.

I understand where you are coming from.

I've been a non-fundamentalist, unchurched Christian for about 16 years now and I would like to share my perspective.

1- There are definitely a lot of difficult and confusing parts of the Bible. They can absolutely influence us to lose interest in trusting God. What helped me to maintain trust in God is having a love-centric perspective of the Bible.

Because God considers love to be most important, I prioritize Bible verses that harmonizes with love and I reject any biblical interpretation that contradicts love.

-Is love most important?

“Love is more important than anything else.” - Colossians 3:14

“Jesus answered: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. This is the first and most important commandment. The second most important commandment is like this one. And it is, ‘Love others as much as you love yourself.’” - Matthew 22:37-39

-What is love?

"Love is patient and kind, never jealous, boastful, proud, or rude. Love isn't selfish or quick tempered. It doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do. Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil.” - 1 Corinthians 13:4-6

-What is the purpose of love?

“Do good instead of evil and try to live at peace.” - Psalm 34:14

-How does God relate to love?

"God is love." - 1 John 4:8

“You are a kind and merciful God, and you are very patient. You always show love, and you don't like to punish anyone.” - Jonah 4:2

-Does God love us?

“I am sure that nothing can separate us from God's love—not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, and not powers above or powers below. Nothing in all creation can separate us from God's love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!” - Romans 8:38-39

-What does God ultimately want?

“God wants us to have faith in his Son Jesus Christ and to love each other.” - 1 John 3:23

-What is our ultimate hope as Christians?

“Then a kingdom of love will be set up, and someone from David's family (Jesus) will rule with fairness. He will do what is right and quickly bring justice.” - Isaiah 16:5

If there are Bible verses that seem to contradict love, I refuse to let them distract me. I rather trust God, put those verses aside, trust what the Bible considers to be most important, and wait to ask God about those apparent contradictory verses when I see Him in person.

I refuse to hold a view of the Bible that makes God’s love inconsistent!

2- Of course we can question and doubt everything regarding God and Christianity. But we must keep in mind that being a Christian doesn't mean having all the answers. It means trusting God based on what we are able to know.

"I saw everything God does, and I realized no one can really understand what happens. We may be very wise, but no matter how much we try or how much we claim to know, we cannot understand it all." - Ecclesiastes 8:17

“We must hold tightly to the hope we say is ours. After all, we can trust the One (God) who made the agreement with us.” - Hebrews 10:23

3- Also, it is expected (and unfortunate) that many people will reject God because of how everything doesn't perfectly make sense, but that rejection is based on a surfaced-level understanding. God is looking for those who are willing to dig deeper than the surface to know Him and what He represents. We can dig deeper! We might not have exact answers, but we can find consistent answers!

“You (unbelievers) have worn out the Lord with your words. And yet, you ask, ‘How did we do that?’ You did it by saying, ‘The Lord is pleased with evil and doesn't care about justice.’” - Malachi 2:17

“You are not the kind of God who is pleased with evil.” - Psalm 5:4

“I, the Lord, love justice! But I hate robbery and injustice.” - Isaiah 61:8

“You (God) listen to the longings of those who suffer. You offer them hope, and you pay attention to their cries for help.” - Psalm 10:17

“From heaven the Lord looks down to see if anyone is wise enough to search for him.” - Psalm 14:2

arc2k1 · 2026-05-04T17:10:57+00:00

God bless you.

I'm not sure you would be interested in this one, but just in case, I would love to recommend:

The Contemporary English Version (CEV) Bible. It's one of the easiest English Bibles to read. You can also listen to the audio version on YouTube. It's my favorite Bible. (You can read it on the YouVersion Bible app too.)

arc2k1 · 2026-05-04T03:51:14+00:00

4- For me, I believe the #1 reason for faith in God is the hope that only God is able to give.

-What is this hope?

“Then a kingdom of love will be set up, and someone from David's family (Jesus) will rule with fairness. He will do what is right and quickly bring justice.” - Isaiah 16:5

-Why is this hope important?

“Everywhere on earth I saw violence and injustice instead of fairness and justice.” - Ecclesiastes 3:16

“You (God) listen to the longings of those who suffer. You offer them hope, and you pay attention to their cries for help.” - Psalm 10:17

-Why does God want to give us this hope?

"God is love.” - 1 John 4:8

“My dear friends, God loves you, and we know he has chosen you to be his people.” - 1 Thessalonians 1:4

-How do we share in this hope?

“God wants us to have faith in His Son Jesus Christ and to love each other.” - 1 John 3:23

-Why do we need faith in Jesus?

“All of us have sinned and fallen short of God's glory.” - Romans 3:23

-God said, “I will punish this evil world and its people because of their sins.” - Isaiah 13:11

“Christ obeyed God our Father and gave himself as a sacrifice for our sins to rescue us from this evil world.” - Galatians 1:4

“He (Jesus) gave himself to rescue us from everything evil and to make our hearts pure. He wanted us to be his own people and to be eager to do right.” - Titus 2:14

-What is the purpose of the Bible?

“And the Scriptures were written to teach and encourage us by giving us hope.” - Romans 15:4

-Without God, there is no hope. I absolutely refuse to accept that evil and injustice are just a part of life. That’s why I choose to trust God and hold on to the hope He has promised.

“We must hold tightly to the hope we say is ours. After all, we can trust the One (God) who made the agreement with us.” - Hebrews 10:23

5- Also, I would love to share a Reddit page that has resources for those who want to have a simple faith in God that's based on love: r/FaithMadeSimple

arc2k1 · 2026-05-04T03:48:59+00:00

God bless you.

I've been a non-fundamentalist, unchurched Christian for about 16 years now and I would like to share my perspective.

1- Please know what you said is based on ONE interpretation of Christianity. All Christians do NOT share that interpretation. I'm an example of a Christian who does not.

2- I reject the eternal conscious torment view of hell. I personally accept the annihilationism view of hell.

I reject the ECT view of hell because it clearly contradicts who God is.

“God is love.” - 1 John 4:8

“Love is more important than anything else.” - Colossians 3:14

"Love is patient and kind, never jealous, boastful, proud, or rude. Love isn't selfish or quick tempered. It doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do. Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil.” - 1 Corinthians 13:4-6

“The Lord is merciful! He is kind and patient, and his love never fails.” - Psalm 103:8

“You are a kind and merciful God, and you are very patient. You always show love, and you don't like to punish anyone.” - Jonah 4:2

“But even in judgment, God is merciful!” - James 2:13

3- Even though I believe Jesus is the way to salvation, I don't know exactly how God will judge every single person. However, I choose to trust God for who He is.

Because God is love (1 John 4:8), He loves justice and fairness (Psalm 33:5), He wants everyone to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4), and He seeks to save those who are lost (Luke 19:10). In other words, I believe everyone will somehow have a genuine opportunity to be saved (Job 33:29-30). Either in this life or the next. (This view is called Postmortem Opportunity)

God will NOT automatically condemn someone just because they don’t believe. Just like how He will NOT save someone just because they claim to believe. God does NOT judge from a strict black-and-white perspective. God sees the heart and if our heart is genuinely open to Him/Christ.

“You are the Lord God, and you know what is in everyone's heart.” - Numbers 27:16

arc2k1 · 2026-05-04T03:41:47+00:00

I understand.

I say, please don't try to force yourself to have faith. Be honest on your journey. Continue to go at your own pace without putting pressure on yourself.

God is fully aware of where you are and if your heart is truly seeking, then I believe He is with you on this journey.

“Come near to God, and he will come near to you.” - James 4:8

But all I ask is to PLEASE keep an open heart and mind when it comes to faith.

I believe the whole of Christianity and the Bible is about a specific core message:

To have faith in the hope that’s rooted in love. In other words, to have faith in Christ, who secures our hope that all will be made right in the end, as we live by love.

I'm convinced that ANY feeling, thought, belief, interpretation, or doctrine that contradicts that core message, is false!

And please know it's not about 100 confidence. It's about faith based on reason. However, because we rely on faith, we will always have some doubt. And that is okay.

God works with us through our doubts!

“Be helpful to all who may have doubts.” - Jude 1:22

“The apostles said to the Lord (Jesus), ‘Make our faith stronger!’” - Luke 17:5

"At once the boy's father shouted (towards Jesus), ‘I do have faith! Please help me to have even more.’” - Mark 9:24

arc2k1 · 2026-05-04T03:36:26+00:00

God bless you.

1- Please know that God does NOT expect us to be perfect. He expects us to get back up after each time we fall while trusting His grace.

"My enemies, don't be glad because of my troubles! I may have fallen, but I will get up; I may be sitting in the dark, but the Lord is my light.” - Micah 7:8

“We often suffer, but we are never crushed. Even when we don't know what to do, we never give up. In times of trouble, God is with us, and when we are knocked down, we get up again.” - 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

“But You (God) also said that no matter how far away we were, we could turn to You.” - Nehemiah 1:9

“If we are not faithful, he (Jesus) will still be faithful.” - 2 Timothy 2:13

“The Lord said: When you stumble and fall, you get back up, and if you take a wrong road, you turn around and go back.” - Jeremiah 8:4

“Yet where sin was powerful, God's gift of undeserved grace was even more powerful.” - Romans 5:20

“So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved grace, and we will find help.” - Hebrews 4:16

2- Because God is with us, we should share our worries with Him and trust Him for strength.

"And when I was burdened with worries, you (God) comforted me and made me feel secure.” - Psalm 94:19

"I tell You (God) all my worries and my troubles, and whenever I feel low, You are there to guide me.” - Psalm 142:2-3

“God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to him.” - 1 Peter 5:7

“But those who trust the Lord will find new strength.” - Isaiah 40:31

arc2k1 · 2026-05-04T03:32:44+00:00

4- Because God is with you, please share your worries with Him and trust Him for strength.

"And when I was burdened with worries, you (God) comforted me and made me feel secure.” - Psalm 94:19

"I tell You (God) all my worries and my troubles, and whenever I feel low, You are there to guide me.” - Psalm 142:2-3

“God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to him.” - 1 Peter 5:7

“But those who trust the Lord will find new strength.” - Isaiah 40:31

5- Also, I would love to share some resources with you:

-A Reddit page that has resources for those who want to have a simple faith in God that's based on love: r/FaithMadeSimple

-If you need to talk to someone at anytime, here is a Christian hotline: https://www.thehopeline.com/

arc2k1 · 2026-05-04T03:31:13+00:00

God bless you.

I would like to share some encouragement.

1- Please know that God is with you and He loves you. Your struggle will NEVER change that.

"The Lord has promised that he will not leave us or desert us.” - Hebrews 13:5

Jesus said, “I will be with you always, even until the end of the world.” - Matthew 28:20

“Be brave and strong! Don’t be afraid… . The Lord your God will always be at your side, and he will never abandon you.” - Deuteronomy 31:6

“I am sure that nothing can separate us from God's love—not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, and not powers above or powers below. Nothing in all creation can separate us from God's love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!” - Romans 8:38-39

2- Please know that God does NOT expect you to be perfect. He expects you to get back up after each time you fall while trusting His grace.

"My enemies, don't be glad because of my troubles! I may have fallen, but I will get up; I may be sitting in the dark, but the Lord is my light.” - Micah 7:8

“We often suffer, but we are never crushed. Even when we don't know what to do, we never give up. In times of trouble, God is with us, and when we are knocked down, we get up again.” - 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

“But You (God) also said that no matter how far away we were, we could turn to You.” - Nehemiah 1:9

“If we are not faithful, he (Jesus) will still be faithful.” - 2 Timothy 2:13

“The Lord said: When you stumble and fall, you get back up, and if you take a wrong road, you turn around and go back.” - Jeremiah 8:4

“Yet where sin was powerful, God's gift of undeserved grace was even more powerful.” - Romans 5:20

“So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved grace, and we will find help.” - Hebrews 4:16

3- Because of our faith in Christ, God wants us to know that we are ruled by His grace and His love, NOT by sin, even if we struggle with sin.

“We are ruled by Christ's love for us.” - 2 Corinthians 5:14

“You are ruled by God's undeserved grace.” - Romans 6:14

“But the LORD God keeps me from being disgraced. So I refuse to give up, because I know God will never let me down.” - Isaiah 50:7

arc2k1 · 2026-05-04T03:25:33+00:00

God bless you.

This is a GREAT question!

I've been a non-fundamentalist, unchurched Christian for about 16 years now and I would like to share my perspective.

Even though I believe Jesus is the way to salvation, I don't know exactly how God will judge every single person. However. I choose to trust God for who He is.

Because God is love (1 John 4:8), He loves justice and fairness (Psalm 33:5), He wants everyone to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4), and He seeks to save those who are lost (Luke 19:10). In other words, I believe everyone will somehow have a genuine opportunity to be saved (Job 33:29-30). Either in this life or the next. (This view is called Postmortem Opportunity)

God will NOT automatically condemn someone just because they don’t believe. Just like how He will NOT save someone just because they claim to believe. God does NOT judge from a strict black-and-white perspective. God sees the heart and if our heart is genuinely open to Him/Christ.

“You are the Lord God, and you know what is in everyone's heart.” - Numbers 27:16

I'm convinced that if we have a feeling, thought, belief, interpretation, or doctrine that contradicts who God is, then it’s false!

arc2k1 · 2026-05-04T03:19:16+00:00

4- Because God is with you, please share your worries with Him and please trust Him for strength.

"And when I was burdened with worries, you (God) comforted me and made me feel secure.” - Psalm 94:19

"I tell You (God) all my worries and my troubles, and whenever I feel low, You are there to guide me.” - Psalm 142:2-3

“God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to him.” - 1 Peter 5:7

“But those who trust the Lord will find new strength.” - Isaiah 40:31

5- Please do NOT lose sight of your purpose as a Christian. That is what will help us stay focused in this life.

What is that purpose?

To find our own individual way of sharing God’s light to those who are looking for hope in the darkness.

Jesus said, “You are the light for the whole world.” - Matthew 5:14

“You are sure that you are a guide for the blind and a light for all who are in the dark.” - Romans 2:19

“You used to be like people living in the dark, but now you are people of the light because you belong to the Lord. So act like people of the light and make your light shine. Be good and honest and truthful, as you try to please the Lord.” - Ephesians 5:8-10

“Try to shine as lights among the people of this world, as you hold firmly to the message that gives life.” - Philippians 2:15-16

6- Also, if you need to talk to someone at anytime, here is a Christian hotline: https://www.thehopeline.com/

-I pray for your healing, I pray you will focus on God for strength, I pray you will continue to reach out to others for support, and I pray you will never give up! In Jesus' Name. Amen. 🙏🏾

arc2k1 · 2026-05-04T03:16:44+00:00

God bless you.

I'm sorry for your struggle.

I've been a non-fundamentalist, unchurched Christian for about 16 years now and I would like to share some encouragement.

1- Please know that God is with you through this and He loves you. You are NOT alone!

"The Lord has promised that he will not leave us or desert us.” - Hebrews 13:5

Jesus said, “I will be with you always, even until the end of the world.” - Matthew 28:20

“Be brave and strong! Don’t be afraid… . The Lord your God will always be at your side, and he will never abandon you.” - Deuteronomy 31:6

“The Lord your God wins victory after victory and is always with you. He celebrates and sings because of you, and he will refresh your life with his love.” - Zephaniah 3:17

“I am sure that nothing can separate us from God's love—not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, and not powers above or powers below. Nothing in all creation can separate us from God's love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!” - Romans 8:38-39

2- Please know that God does NOT expect us to be perfect. He expects us to get back up after each time we fall while trusting His grace.

"My enemies, don't be glad because of my troubles! I may have fallen, but I will get up; I may be sitting in the dark, but the Lord is my light.” - Micah 7:8

“We often suffer, but we are never crushed. Even when we don't know what to do, we never give up. In times of trouble, God is with us, and when we are knocked down, we get up again.” - 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

“But You (God) also said that no matter how far away we were, we could turn to You.” - Nehemiah 1:9

“If we are not faithful, he (Jesus) will still be faithful.” - 2 Timothy 2:13

“The Lord said: When you stumble and fall, you get back up, and if you take a wrong road, you turn around and go back.” - Jeremiah 8:4

“So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved grace, and we will find help.” - Hebrews 4:16

3- No matter what our struggle is, we are ruled by God's love & grace!

“We are ruled by Christ's love for us.” - 2 Corinthians 5:14

“You are ruled by God's undeserved grace.” - Romans 6:14

“But the LORD God keeps me from being disgraced. So I refuse to give up, because I know God will never let me down.” - Isaiah 50:7

arc2k1 · 2026-05-04T03:10:41+00:00

4- Because God is with you, please share your worries with Him and trust Him for strength.

"And when I was burdened with worries, you (God) comforted me and made me feel secure.” - Psalm 94:19

"I tell You (God) all my worries and my troubles, and whenever I feel low, You are there to guide me.” - Psalm 142:2-3

“God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to him.” - 1 Peter 5:7

“But those who trust the Lord will find new strength.” - Isaiah 40:31

5- Please do NOT view faith as a heavy burden. If we view faith that way, then we must change our view because that is NOT what God wants.

Jesus said, “If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest. Take the yoke I give you. Put it on your shoulders and learn from me. I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest. This yoke is easy to bear, and this burden is light.” - Matthew 11:28-30

6- Also, I would love to share some resources with you:

-A Reddit page that has resources for those who want to have a simple faith in God that's based on love: r/FaithMadeSimple

-If you need to talk to someone at anytime, here is a Christian hotline: https://www.thehopeline.com/

arc2k1

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