Spiritual direction for Americans questioning God

A study of The Barna Group conducted in April of 2011 reports that nearly one out of three Americans feel they aren’t living up to their “fullest potential” while three out of ten adults report they are “dealing with unresolved emotional pain or conflict in life.”  And 15% of Americans are questioning God due to “their experiences with religion.” The director of the study 70 Million Americans Feel Held Back by their Past concludes the report by saying “the research shows that internal doubts about fulfillment, faith, emotion and personal history significantly define millions of the nation's residents."  Clearly many Americans are not content with the current status quo and are seeking truth, meaning and purpose for their lives.

One can find direction from the Westminster Assembly of Divines. The Westminster Larger Catechism composed in April of 1648 begins with this question: What is the chief and highest end of man? And responds with the answer: Man's chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him forever. It then goes on to tell us in response to Question 2: How doth it appear that there is a God? Answer: The very light of nature in man, and the works of God, declare plainly that there is a God; but his word and Spirit only do sufficiently and effectually reveal him unto men for their salvation.

In the first Bible book of John we are given an introduction of who Jesus Christ is:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴ In him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

And John, chapter 3, verses 16-18 tells us:

¹⁶"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. ¹⁸ Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

In John, chapter 14, verse 6, Jesus said: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” And in Romans, chapter 10, verse 17, the Apostle Paul tells us: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

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