Oooh, I’m ticked!
It makes total sense that the way I see God is through the lens of my experience with my own parents. That’s been the case in my life, and I’ve seen it play out in the lives of many people I’m close to.
The question killed me: If you performed better, would God love you more? Of course I know the right answer, but does the way I live my life bear that out? I’ve already confessed that I struggle with really grasping that God loves me, not for what I do, but for who I am. Crazy.
And I’ve always just figured that it’s one more thing I fall short in (really understanding the nature of God’s love for me). It’s one more thing I need to strive for, and I’m lacking because I still struggle. My wrong thinking is because of my immaturity.
And then Neil comes along and says that it’s a strategy of the enemy? I’ve been fed lies? Here I was, taking the blame! And feeling less loved! Yeah, I’m pretty ticked.
There’s always something new to learn. Neil’s prayer hits the nail on the head: God, correct me where my concepts are wrong so I can know You in complete truth.
I'm ticked too Michele. Only it's because I'm pretty tired and can't get my brain to totaly engage right now. However I've been off the blog so long while trying to find my new life stride since changing jobs and all that I wanted to drop in.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed most Neil's prayer. "Dear Father, I don't want any distorted concepts of You to come between us. Correct me where my concepts are wrong so I can know You in complete truth."
Amen and me too!
I also relate God’s personality with my experiences that I had with my parents and it is easy to slip into thinking if I do more God will love me more.
ReplyDeleteWhen I had my first child a light bulb went on in my head. I felt an incredible love for this little child that had just arrived. I felt how much God must love me. He made me, He made this precious child. He made all of our amazing inner workings and this little tiny baby has all those inner workings as well. It was enormous to wrap my head around that and then I realized He loved me so much He took His precious little baby that He loved and God had his little boy die to pay my debt. As I cried and held my precious baby I began to understand the love God has for me and sacrifice that had been made for me.
NEWS FLASH! Satan is a liar.
ReplyDeleteOh wait...that is not the news, but maybe it should be on the radio each morning as I wake up to remind me that all the stuff I believe must be vetted with God's Word. Neil's story is a good illustration that I apply my filters unconsciously most of the time thinking that I am not filtering or distorting anything.
So, Satan is a liar and I have filters!!! I need to make sure my filters are not making God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit into someone they are not.