THREE MISCONCEPTIONS THAT WILL HOLD YOU BACK.
Our self-image is a powerful force in life. We always act consistently with it; therefore we will never rise above our self-image. So it is important to have an accurate self-image. The trick is to see ourselves as God sees us.
How do you think God sees you? Your answer to that question has far-reaching implications for your relationship with Him and for how you live your Christian life.
- Does He see us as grandchildren, to indulge and satisfy?
- Does He see us as failures, needing to be goaded to higher performance?
- Does He see us as rebels, needing to be chastened to reform?
These are three common misconceptions about God, and they all have powerfully negative repercussions in our Christian life.
If we think God sees us as
grandchildren, to indulge and satisfy, we will be perpetually disappointed, bewildered, and even disillusioned, because of His inconsistency in satisfying our desires.
If we think God sees us as
failures needing to be goaded to higher performance, we will languish under a sense of failure and inadequacy.
If we think God sees us as
rebels, needing to be chastened to reform, we will likely resent God and look for ways to get out from under Him.
But, are these how God sees us? If not how does He see us? The goal is to see ourselves as God sees us. Then, and only then, can we walk closely with Him and reach our God-given potential.
God sees us as an image of Himself.
Genesis 1:27 says,
“God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”
God created us, not as a musician creates a symphony, not as an artist creates a picture, not as a sculptor creates a statue.
Rather, God created us as parents create a child, with love and personal attachment. He created earthly families as He did in order to picture His divine love for us. He wants a relationship with us, not mere service or obedience from us.
And, He created us in His image, to reflect his personhood, his moral attributes, His dominion, His love. When He looks at us, He sees a reflection of Himself.
God likes what He sees
Because we are created in God's image, God likes what he sees when He looks at us. Because we are in His image, we have inherent and infinite value in His eyes.
Our value is inherent in that we don't have to do anything to earn it. Our value comes not from having earned God's favor, but merely from the fact that we are created in his image.
When we see a parent doting on a newborn child, we understand that that child has not done anything to earn the parent’s love. The love comes from within the parent. So it is with God.
And, our value is infinite. There is no end to it. No ceiling. God loves us so much He is willing to do whatever is in his power to have a relationship with us. Even to send His own son to die for our sins that we might be restored to God (Romans 5:8).
And, we are all inherently and infinitely loved. No one is more loved than any other of God’s children. You are as loved by God as Billy Graham.
God is tolerant of our weaknesses, and has a plan to fix them.
Psalm 103:11-14 says,
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him. For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust.
God is tolerant of our weaknesses on earth, and plans to help us grow out of them. His plan for our weaknesses in heaven is to remove them when we shed our fallen body, allowing us to stand before Him perfect.
We are loved and cared for
In Tim Russert’s book,
Wisdom of Our Fathers, he relates this story told to him by a reader of an earlier book of his:
When I was a little girl and my father put me to bed, it would always be cold in the room – especially the sheets – and he would wrap my feet in my baby blanket to keep them warm. Before he kissed me, I had a litany of things I went through every night: "Can I call you if I need anything? Can I call you if I get hot? Can I call you if I get cold? Can I call you if I get scared? Can I call you if I get hungry?"
He would listen and say yes after each one, and I would fall asleep, secure that I was completely loved and cared for.
Just as that father loved his child, so God loves us.
As someone has said, when we see ourselves as God see us, it exalts us without inflating us and humbles us without debasing us. It gives us an accurate self-image that allows us the greatest freedom to walk closely with God and to achieve our God-given potential.
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