Creating God in My Image

I wish I was more adventurous. Over the years I have created a comfort zone that defines what I will and won’t do. Even inside of my comfort zone there are things that push my limits. It wasn’t always like that. In my youth I was ready to try almost anything. The almost anything list must have been left in one of my pockets on laundry day because it has shrunk. Some things on the list were eliminated when I realized that my ability to do something and my desire to do that same thing were not compatible. Others were removed because I am aging not as gracefully as one would hope. Some were not worth trying based on my scholastic shortcomings. Others required too much time or commitment. Out of this I formed my comfort zone defining what I think is the norm.

My comfort zone is more like a no-fly zone.

From political leanings to food choices, from holiday activities to wall coverings, the majority of us see the world in terms of likes and dislikes. A new political idea or a new culinary experience; both can be tough to digest. Another part of the world or a different colour on the wall; not always what we want to see. We don’t want to leave our comfort zone and experience more of life than what we define as normal.

We become defined by the limits of our comfort zone, our perception of God, our denominational leanings and our personal experience based beliefs leaving no room for God.

It’s how we pick a church. It’s how we pick church friends. It’s how we sort through doctrine to create a belief system and discard what is, according to us, a bad interpretation of scripture. The God most Christians follow is defined by their comfort zone and therefore created in their image. As long as I think I have a clear picture of who God is and how He works, I will always be limited.

There is so much more to discover about God but it won’t fit in anyone’s comfort zone.

I wish I was more adventurous. Over the years I have created a comfort zone that defines what I think God is like and not like and how I assume He will act or not act. Even inside of my comfort zone there are things that push the limits of how I view God. It wasn’t always like that. As a new Christ follower I was ready to try almost anything. The almost anything list must have been left in one of my pockets on laundry day because it has shrunk. I am comfortably set in my version of being a Christ follower, limited by the boundaries of a doctrine created by me and participating in a life that doesn’t challenge what I have come to believe as all I need to know and experience when it comes to God.

Have you created God in your own image? Ask yourself: