5 minutes a day 5 days a week - a year of Bible Wisdom

About a year ago, I was put through the trial of a lifetime - at the mere age of nineteen.  Despite being a baptized christian, I realize that I lost touch with God for a period of my life and spiraled into sinful ways.  I truly believe the trial I went through was to get me closer to Him and to take me to new places and away from bad things.  The one thing is that while I love and trust the Lord, I HATE the situation I am in.  It's going to be a lifetime battle as well.  Is it all right to accept trying times but yet hate the situation at the same time?  Does God want us to be fully on board with the trying time we are in, or is it acceptable for us to not fully be on board?  Thank you.

Sincerely,
Struggling

Dear Struggling,

All christians must suffer (Acts 14:22), and suffering helps make us better people (Heb 12:6), but enduring suffering is not the same as enjoying it.  All suffering brings sorrow and grief (Heb 12:11), but a christian can know that God will not allow them to be tempted beyond what they are able to handle (1 Cor 10:13).  Christians can rejoice in trials even though they hurt because they produce perseverance and hope (Rom 5:3-5).  Even when we suffer for our own sinful choices, christians can rejoice because endurance through trials proves our faith in Christ (1 Pet 1:6-7).  The righteous may fall down many times in life… but they always get back up (Pr 24:16).  We are sorry that you are suffering so very much; trials are never, ever easy… but the eternal benefits far outweigh the hardship (Php 1:23).

5 minutes a day 5 days a week - a year of Bible Wisdom

I hear a gentle voice in my head telling me things that make sense to me. Is this the Holy Spirit?  The voice comes at unknown times but never when I am angry.  It comforts me to listen to it.  I have no idea what to call it.  I would like to hear from it and have conversations with it to ask questions I do not understand.  If it is the Holy Spirit, how do I thank it, and what do I call it?  I feel so unworthy that God would talk to me.  But I would be so blessed if He did.  I want a closer relationship with Him.

Sincerely,
Hearing Voices

Dear Hearing Voices,

That voice isn't the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit does not directly speak to people now that we have the complete Bible.  In the past, God communicated His desires through diverse methods of prophecy, visions, dreams, etc., but today He communicates through His Son, Jesus Christ (Heb. 1:1).  The Bible is the complete and perfect Word of God once and for all handed down to us (Jude 1:3).  Now that we have the perfect law of liberty (Jas 1:25), God has ceased using prophecy, visions, and dreams to communicate with us (1 Cor 13:8-10).  That voice in your head may be your conscience, but it isn't God.

Are we living in the last days; I mean, do you think that the world will end soon?

Sincerely,
I Don’t Like Surprises

Dear I Don’t Like Surprises,

If we were living in the last days… we wouldn’t know it.  The Bible specifically says that the Second Coming of Christ will come like a thief in the night (1 Thess 5:1-2).  Jesus will return when people least expect Him.  The apostle Paul warned all christians to live their lives soberly, so that they would be prepared whenever that great day might come (1 Thess 5:4-8).  Whether Christ returns in your lifetime or whether you die before you go and face the judgment, live your life so that at Christ’s appearing, you shall be saved (Heb 9:27-28).  If you don’t know what the Bible says about salvation, we recommend you read “What Must I Do To Be Saved?”