Who is God to Me?
As we step into the grace of the new year, there is excitement about what the future holds. We plan and set goals about who we want to be in the coming year. It is also a valuable time of reflection. What did we learn this year? How did we succeed or fail? How healthy are our relationships? What habits do we need to form this year? These are all things we often process. I think there is an even more important question to ask ourselves as 2024 begins: Who is God to me?
This might seem like a question with an obvious answer; but if we were brutally honest, who do we actually believe that God is? Do I really believe that He is who He says He is? Do I believe that He is good, true, kind, compassionate, full of justice, loving, peaceful, sovereign, and fiercely obsessed with His children and desires relationship with them? If most of us were honest, there are some of those characteristics we don’t fully believe. Maybe you really feel like God is distant, harsh, unkind, inattentive towards us, or even uncaring.
Our perception of God is often shaped by circumstances in life instead of being shaped by the truth of His Word. The lens through which we view Him is filtered by our relationships and experiences. When we dig into the Word and read all parts of the Bible, both the Old Testament and the New, we get a bigger and holistic view of who the God we serve really is. If there are characteristics of God you don’t believe to be true, take time this year to study the Word. Don’t just take time to read certain books or passages you are comfortable with; read the whole thing. Reading the entire Bible gives you the holistic view of who God is. Read the books that are challenging and the parts you don’t understand. It is in the uncomfortable places that you really begin to discover who God truly is. Ask the hard questions and challenge all the things that you’ve been told about God. I promise you that God is big enough to handle your questions and challenges.
Take a moment to reflect on who you honestly believe God to be. There is freedom in the honesty of admitting the parts of God we don’t really believe to be true. He wants to meet you in your honesty. Invite Him into your journey this year of discovering more and more of who He really is.
JOURNAL: Who do you believe God is?
CHALLENGE: Find a One-Year Bible Reading plan and start it! You can find one in the Opendoor Church app or on the YouVersion Bible app. Find one that has daily readings from both the Old Testament and the New Testament.
PRAYER: Father, thank You for the gift of Your Word. It is so sweet to be able to read the truth about You and learn about who You are and how much You love us. Give me a deeper understanding about who You are this year. I lay down who I think You are and embrace the journey of learning who You really are according to Your Word. I love You and desire to know You intimately. Amen
This might seem like a question with an obvious answer; but if we were brutally honest, who do we actually believe that God is? Do I really believe that He is who He says He is? Do I believe that He is good, true, kind, compassionate, full of justice, loving, peaceful, sovereign, and fiercely obsessed with His children and desires relationship with them? If most of us were honest, there are some of those characteristics we don’t fully believe. Maybe you really feel like God is distant, harsh, unkind, inattentive towards us, or even uncaring.
Our perception of God is often shaped by circumstances in life instead of being shaped by the truth of His Word. The lens through which we view Him is filtered by our relationships and experiences. When we dig into the Word and read all parts of the Bible, both the Old Testament and the New, we get a bigger and holistic view of who the God we serve really is. If there are characteristics of God you don’t believe to be true, take time this year to study the Word. Don’t just take time to read certain books or passages you are comfortable with; read the whole thing. Reading the entire Bible gives you the holistic view of who God is. Read the books that are challenging and the parts you don’t understand. It is in the uncomfortable places that you really begin to discover who God truly is. Ask the hard questions and challenge all the things that you’ve been told about God. I promise you that God is big enough to handle your questions and challenges.
Take a moment to reflect on who you honestly believe God to be. There is freedom in the honesty of admitting the parts of God we don’t really believe to be true. He wants to meet you in your honesty. Invite Him into your journey this year of discovering more and more of who He really is.
JOURNAL: Who do you believe God is?
CHALLENGE: Find a One-Year Bible Reading plan and start it! You can find one in the Opendoor Church app or on the YouVersion Bible app. Find one that has daily readings from both the Old Testament and the New Testament.
PRAYER: Father, thank You for the gift of Your Word. It is so sweet to be able to read the truth about You and learn about who You are and how much You love us. Give me a deeper understanding about who You are this year. I lay down who I think You are and embrace the journey of learning who You really are according to Your Word. I love You and desire to know You intimately. Amen
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1 Comment
Great word Rachael! So good and true. the Bible helps us learn about who God is and what He is like!!