In my own understanding of God I see belief as a
spectrum. On one side of
the spectrum you have the logical understanding of God, the belief in God comes
from understanding the word of God and within the word of God one is able to
logically defend belief, God is put into the existence of reason. On the other side of the spectrum the
understanding of God comes from feeling God’s presence. One believes in God because they feel
the presence of God. This belief
in God is defended by feelings and cannot be logically
understood or explained.
My goal, to grow closer to God isn’t because I feel apart
from God. On the contrary, I feel
the presence of God daily. My belief in God lies on the feeling side of the spectrum. I believe because
I feel God not because I understand God.
I feel over the years I have lost an understanding of the word of
God. My faith relies on the
feeling of God and overlooks the understanding of God. I feel the need to develop more of an understanding
of God. Over this next year I look forward to understanding God in new ways and would love to discus your thoughts on God and how you experience God.
Jacob,
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful endeavor, not just for the year before you turn 30, but for a lifetime!
I believe that knowing God has to be both emotion and knowledge. I crave a relationship with God that is deeply emotional, because that’s how God created me. I feel happiness, sadness, joy, and sorrow, and a myriad of other emotions day by day. When I feel God’s presence, I am able to draw close to him as I do to a dear and trusted friend.
But at the same time, who is this God that I am drawn to? Sometimes God communicates with me during my pray time. But mostly, God communicates with me through His word, when I eagerly seek to find out who He is, what makes Him tick, what He likes, dislikes, what He values, what human attributes He esteems. I need to know, not just feel, what he desires from me. If I rely solely on the emotional, I will invariably misunderstand God, because my emotions are frail and fickle, or human. But relying also on His word to understand Him, combining the two? Now that’s the sweet spot where I can know Him, truly know Him, and that’s where I can learn to trust Him.
People can certainly misunderstand the written word of God, too. It’s happened through the ages, and still does - again, we’re human! I am learning though, that focusing on knowing the God Jesus knew will bring me the most clarity on who He truly is. Jesus, although infallible, was human, too, so related to God in much the same way that I can. What a gift that is! It’s like learning something you know nothing about from an expert. A great book I am reading now is “The Good and Beautiful God, Falling in Love with the God Jesus Knows,” by James Bryan Smith. Highly recommended for this journey.
Read this beautiful prayer written by a woman desiring a deep closeness to the God of creation. It reflects my constant desire, my earnest, lifelong goal. It reflects the life your mother lived side-by-side with the God she loved and knew.
By Lysa Terkeurst
Unsettle me in the best kind of way. For when I allow Your touch to reach the deepest parts of me – dark and dingy and hidden away too long – suddenly, a fresh wind of life twists and twirls and dances through my soul.
I can delight in forgiveness and love more deeply.
I can discover a discipline that lies just beyond what I’m capable of and grab hold of God’s strength to bridge the gap. I can recognize the beauty of humility and crave the intimacy with God it unleashes.
I can rest assured though harsh winds blow, I will be held.
Goodbye to my remnants, my rationalizations, shards, and tendencies. This is not who I am nor who I was created to be.
Goodbye to shallow love, sharp words, self-pity, and suspicious fears. I am an unsettled woman who no longer wishes to take part in your distractions or destructions.
Welcome deeper love, new possibilities, unleashed intimacy, and the certainty I am held.
Welcome my unsettled heart.
Jacob - It sounds like God is unsettling your heart. Welcome it and enjoy the journey.
-Bonny
Thank you bonny for the wonderful input.
ReplyDeleteAs I focus my attention on deepening my understanding of God I realize that I understand so little. The good part of having a faith based on feeling God is that as i realize my lack of understanding i am able to feel the presence and amazement of God's wonder even more. Diving deeper into God's wonder I have come to realization that every question i attempt to answer creates a 1,000 more unanswered questions.