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How our perception of God impacts our daily life.
Once, while on a silence and solitude retreat, I was taken by the reflection of the trees that were growing along the shore line. It looked very similar to the picture above. The water was calm, and I could make out individual trees in the reflection. If you're a Christian, you believe you were created by God according to Genesis 1 and 2. I can't speak to other faith beliefs, Christianity is what I know. We are like the reflection. Some days it's peaceful, and we reflect God well. Some days it's windy. You may reflect glimpses of God, but maybe the waves are taking over, and it's a bit rocky.
I hear you saying - Andrea, get to the point, what does this have to do with our God-Image? Okay, let's dig in.
Imagine you had a childhood where you loved, cherished, and the apple of your parents eye. You were nurtured. Your needs were met. You were lovingly disciplined. You didn't have many, if any, fears. When you're introduced to God, at whatever age that is, you're most likely to consider God to be a benevolent, loving God. On the other hand, if you had a childhood where you were neglected. Your needs weren't met. You lived in a home where anger was often present, and discipline was harsh, you may believe that God is a wrathful God. A God who seeks to punish people for their wrong-doings.
The hardest part of being created by God, is that we can't know our Creator. Sure, we can know bits and pieces, but to know God completely isn't possible. Consider Buzz Lightyear, at first he didn't know he was a toy, but through growing awareness he made some pretty big changes as time went on. Maybe that's a bad example, but for giggles, I'm going to leave it in there. He never stopped being a toy. He didn't become his creator, but he has more awareness.
What would happen if you had a loving family, but a God-Image that reflects a judgmental God? I came across this paragraph in The Discerning Heart, and thought I would share it.
My parents and teachers have painted God out to me as being a happy, loving, welcoming force. I feel like at times I can feel God's forgiveness and love when I do something wrong. My personal images of God are of a larger-than-life faceless figure that has the power to do anything he wants but chooses only to love and cherish us all. My insight is that God loves us all and only wants the best for us, but he is the wrong guy to make mad!
Now, wait just a second. How did we get from "happy, loving, welcome force" to "he is the wrong guy to make mad?" It makes me wonder, how were these two opposing ideas formed? How did this individual get from Point A to Point B? And just what were their parents and teachers demonstrating in their teaching, and actions?!
Can you relate t o this God-Image? A loving, but vengeful God that doesn't want you to put a toe out of line? Take a moment to reflect on your God-Image. Maybe jot down a few notes. I once had a class where we drew a picture of our first representation of God. We also used playdough to make a 3-D representation. (This is something fun if you're in kid's ministry. You never know what they'll end up with!)
Understanding your God-Image is another piece to our spiritual puzzle, and it can impact how we interact with the world around us. The Discerning Heart shares, " to be more aware of negative or problematic God-Images that impede the lifelong process of mature growth, we need to consider how our developmental history has shaped those unhelpful (and unhealthy!) images."
If you've been taught a fear-based message, you're more likely to worry about converting all your friends and family. Not that I'm trying to downplay evangelism. I'm just stating a fact. If you're taught a shame-based message, you're more likely to be aware of all the ways you sin, and carry around guilt that you can seem to get rid of. You may shame others around you, attempting to use Scripture to control their actions. A highly legalistic church, will be concerned with rules, and you'll engage life through the lens of perfection.
So, what is your God-Image? How does it impact your life? Are there any blind spots you may have?
How Spiritual Direction Can Help
There are many way a spiritual director can help you learn about your God-Image. I shared a couple above, but there's also an exercise we call "Graced History." Ultimately, sitting with someone who deeply listens to your story with compassion and empathy can help with questions and wrestling, which ultimately lead to spiritual growth, and discernment.
Resources
The Discerning Heart by Wilkie Au and Noreen Cannon Au
You may also like to check out my Reading Suggestions page. There's lots to look through there.
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