A God you can agree with…

A God you can agree with……is generally not a God but an idol of your own imagination.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Isaiah 55:8-9

By that I don’t mean that we know God is God because we argue with Him, but because we being imperfect and altogether lowly when compared to a perfectly righteous, all-knowing God.

Tragically, every day people around the world search for a god that fits each and every personal criteria.  They seek out religions and beliefs that conform to their opinions–read: their likeness.  They want a God that they can always agree with. Or more specifically they want a God that will always agree with them.

I have been a Christian since I was 7 years old.  Even now I do not understand most of the things God does and often times I disagree with His decisions.  I remember the lowest point in my relationship came 5 years ago when my fiance was more or less cut off from me by her parents (long story).  I spent months of deep and depraved depression.  In one moment of sheer anger I yelled out “Damn you!” while looking heavenward. I still tear up thinking back to the moment because I realized when I had said that I had completely and totally turned my back on my God.  I quickly fell to my knees in tears and repented, but the feeling of shame that washed over me for such a heartfelt angerful outburst at the only One who truly loved me I still struggle with today.

Now in retrospect I see why God allowed that event to occur.  My fiance later went on to cheat on me (twice), accuse me of attempted rape [to justify cheating], and turned many “friends” against me.  At the time my finite picture of life couldn’t understand why God would take away something so precious.  How could He be God if He was letting me suffer? Who was He to do that? What was He thinking? If He could feel my hurt how could He  bear it?  Why wouldn’t He give me her back?

The answer is one that any good leader is familiar with. Not every action we do is popular and not every action we take will be understood.  Now years later and having lead this guild through multiple rocky split ups I understand so well that not every piece of information can be shared or should be shared.  God couldn’t tell me what was going on, but He knew that without a doubt that my fiance was not the godly woman I thought she was.  He was sparing me from a far greater fate.

The same applies to many things concerning God.  We may not understood why a loved one was taken from us.  We may not understand how He can stomach to watch as murderous dictators massacre millions of innocent people.  We may not understand why certain lifestyles are sinful, and why some things that seem so good are worthy of eternal death. But as God says so plainly:

For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

We may not always agree with God. But next time you find yourself at a breaking point take a moment and consider this.  Rather than jumping to the conclusion of turning your back on God because you disagree with Him.  Realize that He’s God because you disagree with Him.

A God that you can always agree with as a sinful fallen person is most likely an idol.  An idea in our head.  God does not conform to our standards or expectations because He is not made up in our minds, but rather He Is.

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