Hello everyone, I am Liam and I am a 16-year-old boy. I came here for some advice but first, I need to give some details on my background. My parents have never believed in God and I grew up not thinking much about God and not really believing because they did not direct me towards him.
5 years ago when I was 11 my Dad died and the funeral was what you call a humanist funeral I guess, not particularly religious. After he died I started to read the bible and I started to feel God for the first time, I got on my knees and started to worship and praise Him, it just happened really suddenly and unexpectedly but the change came after my dad died like as if God wanted to reach out to me at that point. Then I went to church and I got on my knees in the pews and since then for the past 4 years, I've worshipped the Lord. I do this privately at home and in church, kneeling or lying face down on the ground.
There are things the 11/12-year-old me did that I don't do now as I know they are sins. When I was 11 I started to masturbate like most boys do I guess. When I was 12 and my faith was growing I stopped. It was hard to stop since I enjoyed it and it felt good but I'd rather obey the Lord than enjoy a moment of selfish sinful pleasure that will offend him. I try not to look lustfully at girls also and I don't worship anything or anyone else but God. I don't think about money, gaming, sex, or anything that is a distraction from the Lord. I am focused on him all the time.
The problem is my mom still does not believe in God and she has a hard time accepting my faith. When I first found God she thought it was a phase I would grow out of but over time my faith, and my devotion to worshipping and praising the Lord, just grows stronger and she still doesn't accept it. She banned me from going to church when I was 13 hoping I would ''get over it'' but then when I was 14 I went back, now I'm 16 she still tries to ban me again but I just do it anyway and sometimes she grounds me to stop me from going. I know I shouldn't disobey my mom but surely she has no right to keep trying to separate me from the Lord? And getting grounded just for going to church is ridiculous and unfair?
She thinks I'm being brainwashed at the church and that I don't think for myself only what they tell me, but it's not true. I found faith by myself while reading the bible and went to church later. Church just helps strengthen my faith and keep me focused on the Lord as it helps to have fellowship with other believers. She also thinks it's unhealthy for a 16-year-old to be ''obsessed with God'' but surely being in love with the Lord and worshipping him is the healthiest place to be and what we should all be doing? I can't understand why she thinks my relationship with God hurts me when it does the opposite. I believe God created us so we would worship him and glorify him.
Given how serious the punishment is for unbelievers or those who don't obey and don't repent (an eternity in Hell) I can't allow her to stop me from worshipping. I don't want to fight with her either, how can I get her to accept this and stop trying to ban me from God? I'd much rather be kneeling before him for eternity, worshipping him and glorifying him, than be in eternal punishment separated from him.
5 years ago when I was 11 my Dad died and the funeral was what you call a humanist funeral I guess, not particularly religious. After he died I started to read the bible and I started to feel God for the first time, I got on my knees and started to worship and praise Him, it just happened really suddenly and unexpectedly but the change came after my dad died like as if God wanted to reach out to me at that point. Then I went to church and I got on my knees in the pews and since then for the past 4 years, I've worshipped the Lord. I do this privately at home and in church, kneeling or lying face down on the ground.
There are things the 11/12-year-old me did that I don't do now as I know they are sins. When I was 11 I started to masturbate like most boys do I guess. When I was 12 and my faith was growing I stopped. It was hard to stop since I enjoyed it and it felt good but I'd rather obey the Lord than enjoy a moment of selfish sinful pleasure that will offend him. I try not to look lustfully at girls also and I don't worship anything or anyone else but God. I don't think about money, gaming, sex, or anything that is a distraction from the Lord. I am focused on him all the time.
The problem is my mom still does not believe in God and she has a hard time accepting my faith. When I first found God she thought it was a phase I would grow out of but over time my faith, and my devotion to worshipping and praising the Lord, just grows stronger and she still doesn't accept it. She banned me from going to church when I was 13 hoping I would ''get over it'' but then when I was 14 I went back, now I'm 16 she still tries to ban me again but I just do it anyway and sometimes she grounds me to stop me from going. I know I shouldn't disobey my mom but surely she has no right to keep trying to separate me from the Lord? And getting grounded just for going to church is ridiculous and unfair?
She thinks I'm being brainwashed at the church and that I don't think for myself only what they tell me, but it's not true. I found faith by myself while reading the bible and went to church later. Church just helps strengthen my faith and keep me focused on the Lord as it helps to have fellowship with other believers. She also thinks it's unhealthy for a 16-year-old to be ''obsessed with God'' but surely being in love with the Lord and worshipping him is the healthiest place to be and what we should all be doing? I can't understand why she thinks my relationship with God hurts me when it does the opposite. I believe God created us so we would worship him and glorify him.
Given how serious the punishment is for unbelievers or those who don't obey and don't repent (an eternity in Hell) I can't allow her to stop me from worshipping. I don't want to fight with her either, how can I get her to accept this and stop trying to ban me from God? I'd much rather be kneeling before him for eternity, worshipping him and glorifying him, than be in eternal punishment separated from him.
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