What Is Stopping You From Believing/Committing to God?

Melany Rodriguez
Jan 7, 2024
4 min read

There are many false understandings about the Bible that lead people far from God. We wanted to address some common misconceptions that prevent people from giving their life to Christ. We hope that some clarification can bring the misled back to the truth: God.

1. Enjoying the World and God

As humans, our flesh and our spirit are in a constant combat with each other. It’s up to you to determine who wins this daily battle. If you find yourself consistently losing to your flesh, this could be due to a lack of discipline and self control. Without these aspects, your bad habits will grow stronger and will be harder to break. It can be done though! You have to find the root of your sin. What makes you want to curse? What makes you want to listen to secular music? What makes you want to engage in sexual relations? By answering that question, you can identify the need this sin seems to be satisfying and find a healthier way to meet that need. You may need a change of environment, such as new acquaintances or new hobbies. You could use substitutes for the sin itself as you slowly train yourself to say no to your flesh. Replace curse words with more censored versions. Replace your demonic music with Christian alternatives. Replace the self gratification with other pleasurable activities. As you prepare to put down your flesh, remember this: You can’t defeat what you are willing to entertain!

"Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey – whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?" Romans 6:16 NIV

2. The Significance of Repentance

Although we know that the Lord will forgive us for our sins, asking for this forgiveness is crucial. When we repent, we are telling God that we regret the action and we want to do better using His grace. God will not do the work in our hearts unless we invite Him to do so! Dealing with your sin on your own will lead to misery and you will be disappointed in your own self. As we have said before, true satisfaction is found in Christ. You will never stop sinning because that’s our nature, but you will find peace knowing that you are walking with Christ rather than stumbling over sin. Repent so you can restore your faith and renew your spirit, so that you may rejoice in the Lord’s love.

"Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity … And you forgave the guilt of my sin" Psalm 31:5 NIV

3. Lack of Understanding About God and Hate

When you don’t understand God’s will and His calling, you don’t understand much else. Hate against yourself or your neighbor is not of God. In modern times, hatred is promoted all over social media and is practiced by many users. Whether the hate is pushed by Believers or Non-Believers, you need to connect with God for yourself to develop discernment against people who hate. Read the Bible. There are many books within it that are dedicated to how to live a life of Christ and how we can do what we are called to do: LOVE. Once you gain comprehension of the Bible, you can be an example of God’s love and correct those who are doing the opposite. People love to debate with hate on the internet, but when it comes to what God has said, there’s no debating that!

"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first" John 15:18 NIV

4. An Evil World

Many often ask, if God is so good and all knowing, why does He allow evil in the world? Let’s start off with this fact: God loves us so much that He gave us free will. He gave us the power to decide what we do, decide whether we want to love Him or not, and choose the path we want our life to take. So yes, He is all knowing, but He chose to limit His power out of love for us. If He just forced everyone to love Him, that wouldn’t be genuine love, would it? Now, for the evil we find in the world, why does God “create” this evil or allow it? Simple answer; he doesn't. Evil is not of God. Evil is the absence of God, just as darkness is the absence of light.

"For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world." 1 John 2:16 NIV

5. Faith Out of Fear

Many believers admit that they have come to God in fear of the consequences they may face if they don’t. In fear of hell. Is this healthy? Fearing God is normal, as many verses, such as Psalm 111:10 NIV says “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.” As you continue your relationship with God and deepen your connection, you soon begin to realize and experience the amazing things the Lord has to offer. He begins to take away your fear, and gives you confidence and trust as a follower. The Lord’s love will dissipate that fear of judgement. “But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.” 1 John 4:18 NIV. As you learn His word and all He has done for us, you will find gratitude for our Father and love Him for all He has done for us. Only God is perfect. We are not perfect, therefore our love isn’t either. The mere fact of being concerned about whether or not you are loving God the right way shows that you in fact do. But if you continue to believe your intentions aren’t in the right place, seek Him. Pray that He guides your heart in the right direction.