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Philosophy/religion

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Have you had an encounter with God?

5 replies

QueenSmartypants · 26/04/2023 17:57

I realise this is a very personal question but I'm interested in hearing about the experiences of those of you who have had an encounter with God, if you're happy to share?

Given that I'm asking people to share deeply personal experiences, can anyone who doesn't believe please refrain from posting anything dismissive about what people may chose to share. :)

Full disclosure- I'm sort of agnostic, in that I believe in something I'm just not sure what. Which is kind of partly why I'm asking, I'm wondering what an encounter with God might be like and how a person knows they've had it.

OP posts:
stbrandonsboat · 27/04/2023 10:00

It's difficult to say really. I've had some experiences that I can only say came to me from an external source, but where from exactly, I never found out. In one situation in particular (I was being severely abused as a child) I was rescued from after obeying a message I received. Something very definite told me to do something, which I did, and I was then removed from the situation and my life was then safe. My faith believes in Guardian Angels, so perhaps I was helped from them. I knew that obeying the command would lead to me getting into a lot of trouble and would put me in danger, but I knew I had to do it and it led to something incredible beyond what I could ever have dreamed of.

Something also communicated me the date of my husband's funeral weeks before he died. I believe I was being prepared for his death. I asked repeatedly if the date was going to be the date of his death and the answer was "no", but that it was going to be a significant event and I needed to prepare. I didn't choose the date of his funeral, it was dictated by people travelling and the vicar's schedule. I wasn't a believer when this was happening to me I should add, but I was wondering why I was being told this date repeatedly and where it was coming from.

I've never been visited by Jesus though, which some people claim to have happened to them. I think that would be a nice thing to experience. My faith teaches us not to look for signs and wonders because we don't know where they've originated from and we can be fooled, but some things do make you wonder.

I did have a near death experience as a child - dark tunnel and everything. That was interesting. Scientists attribute these to brain chemistry and oxygen levels, but some people's accounts go far beyond those elements and are truly unexplainable by anyone's standards.

My present husband told me that he stepped into the road once whilst crossing and something grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back. A car then abruptly stopped and he would have been hit if he hadn't been pulled back onto the pavement. The driver was shocked because he'd fully expected to have hit him.

I hope nobody comes along and pours scorn on my experiences because of course they could all be imagined or have some explanation, but I am definite that they came from an external source and that they weren't merely my thoughts or musings.

JustaChristian · 03/08/2023 17:57

yes, of course

PrimitivePerson · 09/08/2023 21:04

No.

I was a Christian for decades but essentially any deeply significant religious experience I had, with the benefit of hindsight, has a pretty mundane and earthly explanation.

It's usually hype and wishful thinking, I'm afraid. Realising that was a huge disappointment, but also quite liberating.

speakout · 10/08/2023 07:29

Well I am a goddess- so yes.

babysharkdoodoodedoodedoo · 12/08/2023 18:28

I live abroad in an area where very few people speak English, and where Christians can be persecuted so very few people speak out about religion in public, it’s something only discussed between close friends. I also suffer from OCD and anxiety. On one particularly painful day when I was feeling overwhelmed by anxiety to the point of it becoming unbearable, I was cycling and I just broke down in tears - I cried and cried and prayed to God and I asked Him just to show me that he was real, give me any sign that He was with me now because ive never asked for or needed a sign from Him before, but that day I just really did. I got off my bike at a small local vegetable shop near the entrance of my apartment complex. I’ve lived in the apartment for 6 years and never been approached by anyone speaking English before. As I got off my bike, an elderly woman at the vegetable shop who was buying vegetables turned around, looked at me, and said “Jesus loves you.” And continued to talk with me about how Jesus loved me and was with me. Then she gave me a hug and we said goodbye. I went home and cried. I don’t care if that sounds ridiculous to anyone. To me, that will always be the moment that the God who created the universe came to me personally to comfort me when I needed it.

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