A Skewed Vision of God

Has your view of God ever been challenged?  Do you think you see Him and know Him clearly?   If you are a believer in Christ, you've been taught the power and love of God.  You've been taught that he is full of goodness and a deliverer of justice, but forgiver of sins.  All of that is true and a beautiful picture of the attributes of God.

"He who did not spare his own Son, 

but gave him up for us all-

-how will he not also, 

along with him, 

graciously give us all things?"

Romans 8:32 

God gave us the ultimate gift, the life of Jesus Christ, to forgive our sin so that we may enter the Kingdom of Heaven with Him. What else could we possible ask of Him?  He owes us nothing; we owe Him everything.

But yet, we expect God to answer every prayer to our liking, heal every sickness, provide every whim of our heart. We put conditions on our faithfulness and understanding of God.  We may refuse to surrender every area of our lives because we don't think He will take care of our needs. 

Because in our weakness, we think it is all about us!  We forget that God has a plan and a purpose for each of our lives to the benefit of His glory.  That plan may include heartache, doubt, frustration, bankruptcy, death, cancer, or something else equally horrible.  Does He love us any less?  NO!

We are never going to understand the ways of God, and we were never meant to!!  Isaiah 55:8 reminds us "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD."  I've been through some tremendous pain in my life, and I have come to have peace with the unknown.  I'm never going to understand why God allowed some of those circumstances into my life, but I remain faithful in trusting the God who made me..the God who loves me.

Can you do the same?  Can you remain faithful to Him regardless of your circumstances?  Perhaps memorizing the following verse will help you remember all the goodness that the Lord wishes to lavish on you!

"The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.  The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made." Psalm 145:8-9