Your View of God

            This weekend we are hosting our annual Fall Kickoff for our youth ministry and I am so excited!  I am anxious to get to know our students better, challenge them in their faith, and watch God work in a powerful way.  With that being said, I was thinking about “the talk” that I will be giving on Sunday to both students and parents about our upcoming year.  Rather than simply talking about what we are going to, offer, and provide I want it to be a challenging yet exciting starting conversation about our youth ministry.

            As I was thinking about this, I started wondering about this question, “Who and/or what have shaped your understanding of God?”  This thought recently triggered in my mind as I watching the movie Blue Like Jazz and was reminded of the various plot lines from when I read the book a few years ago.  While I don’t necessarily agree with the great lengths that Donald Miller went to in order to find “Truth” in his life, his quest is honorable and should be noted.  He was willing to search high and low, through several layers of garbage to find and determine who God is to Him.  As I thought about my own life, I realized there have been several people/situations that have shaped my own understanding of God.

First, there have been various “life situations” that have shaped my understanding of God.  Whether it was my dad being diagnosed with cancer, losing our daughter Callie Grace, having our son in the NICU the first month of his life, or losing my grandparents after a long battle with an ailment, all of these “situations” shaped my understanding of God.  They taught me about the depth of God’s love.  They taught me about patience and prayer.  They taught me about comfort in the midst of heartache.  They taught me how much God loves and cares for me as His child.

Second, there are people who think differently than me that have taught me a great deal about God.  While conversations with these individuals oftentimes lead to heated discussions, they still teach me about God’s character.  While I may not understand or support their choices, they have taught me how to look at a problem/situation from another angle.  They demonstrate the diversity of God’s creation with their differing views.  They have taught me how each of us in own unique way can further the Kingdom of God, if we choose to work together.

Third, are my wife and children who daily shape my understanding of God.  They have taught me how to love unconditionally, persevere despite the challenges in my life, and give sacrificially.  These daily “challenges” illustrate to me the love that God has for me by sending His Son to die on a cross for me.  They teach me that despite the heartaches and challenges, there is always someone else who needs more.  They teach me how give of myself even when I don’t think I have anything left to give.  They teach me how to love others as God loves me.

            As you prepare for another year of school either as a parent or student I challenge you to think about who and/or what has shaped your understanding of God?