Distorted Images of God

A 4 part devotional to help you see God more clearly.

By Michael Wiltshire Cornerstone University

Distorted Images of God | Table of Contents

Introduction ....3 God of Tradition.................................................4-6 God of Perfection....7-10 God of Anger.11-15 God of Pursuit....16-20

Distorted Images of God | Introduction

Throughout your 4 sessions you will encounter different Distorted Images of God that we often embrace without realizing unhealthy they may be.

Use your time with this packet to explore your heart and mind in order to discover how God wants you to see Him.

Let Him guide you as you become open to exploring yourself and your image of God.

Above all, remember that God wants you to see him more clearly . Let Him show himself to you both within this devotional and in your everyday life. This is just the beginning.

Distorted Images of God | Part 1

God of Tradition

Part one | God of tradition

When discussing distorted images of God, it is important to mention the God of tradition. In the box to the right, list a few items (such as a church pew) and feelings (such as reverence) that you associate with your image of God. Next, in the box below, do your best to draw a picture of God as you imagine Him now. 1)

2)

3)

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Part one | God of tradition

Now, in the box to the right, write some items and feelings you wish you associated God with. 1)

2) Have fun and be creative! 3) Give yourself permission to wish your image of God included things like: a basketball, classical music, or a even a toy hippopotamus.

4)

Did the exercise above make you feel uncomfortable? Was it difficult to connect God with images that are unrelated to church? In order to begin seeing God in a less distorted way, we have to understand that He is bigger and better than we can even imagine. While tradition can be a good thing, it can become a problem when our image of God never develops or changes for the better. Go back a page and look at the box that contains your drawing of God. As we begin to look at our distorted images of God, it is important to understand that He will never fit into the box we put Him in. We have to be Ok with imaging God in ways that we are not used to. Its ok to ask questions. Its ok to admit that God is bigger and better than any tradition or background. Our goal in these devotional times will be to see God more clearly. Questions, doubts, and struggles are a part of the process. Embrace them! They are actually some of your best tools in the process of seeing through distorted images of God. He is not bound by tradition and neither are you!

Distorted Images of God | Part 2

God of Perfection

Part two | God of perfection

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. | Matthew 5:48

Perfection. Is that what God really requires of us? How possible is it to actually be perfect, just like our heavenly Father? What if we are not this kind of perfect? Do you ever find yourself asking questions like these? Do you see God as the ultimate perfectionist? Preachers get up on Sunday mornings and teach how to live more like God. They tell you five reasons why we need to live be rid of all sin in our lives. But how possible is that goal? Or even more to the point, does God still love me when I dont? If God rewards flawless living with his approval and love, what does he give to those who fail to be perfect? What does it mean to be perfect? Should we even try? When we see our God in a distorted way, we sometimes label Him as the ultimate perfectionist. And we normally respond to this false-god in one of two different ways.
The first way we respond to a perfectionist God: We assume we are as closer to perfect as we can be because we fail to understand what Gods perfection really is. Like a professional athlete, who claims to be the, Worlds greatest we see ourselves a good people and have no need to be more holy because at least were not like those people who are much worse than we are. We think things like, I am a good Christian and while I might be able to become more like Christ, I dont relay need to. In reality, we sometimes dont under stand how big and perfect God really is, and we lose motivation to increase the quality of our Christian walk. When we think weve got it all figured out we should think about this: The rules of space and time do not apply to God bigness. Gods love is so perfect that it creates perfect uni verses. Gods justice is so complete that taking part in sin isnt even an option for Him. And all of this perfection came to Earth through the birthing process. Then Jesus loves the unlovable. He performs miracles. He hangs out with the sick and poor. He identifies himself with the oppressed. He died for the ones he loved. If this is our model for Christianity, then you and I are nowhere close to perfection of Matthew 5:48. The second way we respond to a perfectionist God is through giving up. When we finally get a grasp on the bigness and holiness of God, we become sensitive and selfconscious. We understand how far we are from mirroring a perfect Gods love, justice, or grace and we start felling guilty. We think things like, If I cant be perfect why even try? If preachers knew how much I sin, they would be so disappointed! And because God knows my struggles, He must be ashamed of me. My being good enough for God is a hopeless thing to peruse.

Part two | God of perfection

The question both responses are really asking is, why should I even try to I be good enough for perfectionist God? And it is the search for the answer to that question that causes apathy and can turn us away from Christ. What we really need to realize is that our view of a perfectionist God is false distorted one. The truth is: God is truly perfect but he is not a perfectionist. Let that freedom sink in. Meditate on the truth that Gods love for you is not based on your performance for him.

You may be wondering, Arent you ignoring verses like Matthew 5:48? We have to understand that because we are made in the image of God, it should be our goal to try to become more like our creator. However, Jesus knew better than anyone that because of sin this goal can never be fully accomplished. But dont lose hope! Its a lifelong process of being affect by Christ love that leads us to becoming more like him. We are to always be in pursuit of him, while understanding we are still broken people who live in the grace of God. Along with a call to be more like Christ, Jesus says things like, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. It is the call to, learn from me that we find our hope! To learn means to grow and while growth of any kind can be painful; it means we are in the process of accomplishing something! We are like a little kid who believes they will never grow up. Yet, as they go through the pains of growing up they are actually becoming the person God intended them to be. Its a process worth undertaking and how we respond is up to us. We can respond with apathy or fear. Or we can realize that as long as we live we will be growing in some way. We can be excited that Gods love for us is like a parents for their growing child. God doesnt expect his children to grow perfectly but is excited to watch them develop and provides rest for their warn out souls.

Part two | God of perfection

God does is not asking for perfection, he simply wants to help you grow. Learn from him and find rest in his gentle and humble heart. Jesus gives peace because by saying, you dont need to be perfect. You only need to trust that I love you.

Some Things to Ponder: -Pray for God to release you from the lie that he will only love you if you are perfect. -Fill in the blank If I fail at _______ God will love and accept me wholly. Do you believe that? Why or why not? -Think of a person who you have a hard time loving. How does God view that person despite their imperfection?

Below, draw a picture or write a poem to God. Dont worry about how good or bad it is. Just believe God will approve and love whatever you make him!

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Distorted Images of God | Part 3

God of Anger

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Part three | God of anger

The next distorted image of God that we are going to discuss is the God of anger. When we see God as an all-powerful angerr, we often build our relationship with him on a foundation of fear and anxiety. It feels like God is a bully and doesnt really care about our struggles and pains.

Do you ever see God this way? -Do you find yourself putting on a fake smile for God because you dont want him to know how you really feel? -Do you see God as moody and quick to anger? -Do you live your life trying not to upset God? -Do you find it really hard to trust God? When we see God as angry, moody, and abusive it becomes almost impossible to really trust him. Its almost like we have to live a good clean life, so that God doesnt notice our mistakes. This is the god Bruce Nolan complained about in the movie Bruce Almighty: God is a mean kid sitting on an anthill with a magnifying glass, and Im the ant. He could fix my life in five minutes if he wanted to, but hed rather burn off my feelers and watch me squirm. This god is all-powerful but not all -loving, and so chooses to use his power to pour out wrath and not love.

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Part three | God of anger

The truth is, our image of an abusive God is a distorted one. We need to embrace the truth in Gods pure and perfect love in order to be set free from the lie that God is in any way abusive. We can start this journey by understanding that His love is better and unlike any humans love. Take time now to ask God to guide you as you spend time in his Word. Next, read and meditate on these verses. Visualize the truth of these scriptures consuming your heart and mind.

-Gods love brings life and freedomWhoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:8-10 -Gods love hears our cries is compassionate when we sufferThe LORD said, I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. Exodus 3:7
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-Gods loves would give anything to be with youBut God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

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Part three | God of anger

The truth is that when we see God as abusive or as some kid with a magnifying glass, we are not seeing a correct view of God at all! Gods love and care for us is bigger and better than anything we can even understand! Its better than a parents love. Its better than your best friends love. Its better than your significant others love. Its a perfect loves that will pursue your heart always because He is so desperately in love with you.
In this space, write down a something false about Gods love that you have found yourself believing.

One example could be: Ive believed the lie that God is always annoyed with me.

Next, write down a truth that corrects that lie.

One example could be: Even though I stumble in life, God finds joy in me and has done all kinds of things to be with me forever because he loves me.

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Part three | God of anger

Next, Take a few moments thanking God for the truth and ask him to help you move past the lie. Now, put the truth you wrote on the last page on something you will see many times throughout today. Here are some ideas: -write it on your arm. -write it on the bottom of this paper and tare if off to put into your pocket. -draw a picture that represents your truth and keep it with you. Whenever you see your reminder of your truth throughout the day, repeated what you wrote in your head and thank God for his always present and always perfect love. Take time to talk to your pastor or a youth worker about what you discovered during your devotional. Let them know the truth youve chosen to believe.

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Distorted Images of God | Part 4

God of Pursuit

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Part four | God of Pursuit

In the last three devotional experiences we have spent our time exploring our experiences with a distorted God. An important thing to realize is that when we become aware of the false Gods of tradition, perfection, and anger we are not necessarily free of them. There will always be times when our image of God is distorted and out of focus and it takes time and effort to correct the way we see our Father in Heaven. This process is different for everyone and while we will never be able to see God perfectly while on Earth, we have hope that one day our relationship will be perfect. Until then, lets seek Christs guidance on how to see him better. After all, He longs for a healthy relationship with us, too!

In this devotional you are going to participate in creating your own image of a God of Pursuit. Unlike the previous chapters, the goal for this time is not to deconstruct a distorted image of God but to support you as you begin to create your own healthy image. Lets start with the Story of Hosea.

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Part four | God of Pursuit

Hosea was a prophet of God and his story is recorded on the Old Testament. One day, God told his prophet Hosea to go and marry a prostitute. Weird, right? Hosea and his wife Gomer soon had children. Hoseas religious friends probably though that he was a bad prophet. After all, how Christian was it to seek out and marry some prostitute? But Hosea stayed faithful to his wife. As odd as their marriage was, he loved her with all of his heart. She loved him, tooat least, she tied to love him. They one day something bad happened. Gomer, turned back to her old way of lifeshe cheated on Hosea and slept with another man. She soon decided to return fully to her old ways and left Hosea altogether. Heartbroken, Hosea cried out to God. And God answered: "Start all over: Love your wife again, your wife who's in bed with her latest boyfriend, your cheating wife. Love her the way I, God, love the Israelite people, even as they flirt and party with every god that takes their fancy." (-The Message) Hosea, still in love with his wife, and still committed to the LORD did just that. He found Gomer. And he paid the price. Like buying a slave at an auction, Hosea gave what money he had to get her back from the new man she chose to belong to. Maybe Hosea cried when he was reunited with his wife. Maybe he had never been so happy. Maybe he even took of his priestly robe and wrapped it around Gomers naked body. Maybe his religious friends saw him pay the price to get his wife back. Maybe they judged him for buying a sex-slave. After that, Hosea took Gomer home. He told her that she was his. That he was not going to share her with anyone else. He said, Youre with me, and Im with you. All because I love you.

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Part four | God of Pursuit

If you read the book of Hosea found in the Old Testament, youll discover that God composed Hoseas story for a reason. God wanted to illustrate how he felt about His chosen people and he chose to do it though a rather odd marriage. Like Gomer, the Israelites had chosen their own way of life, even though God was so desperately in love with themand we do the same thing, dont we? And like Hosea, God chose to pay the price in order to be with His love, even though we didnt deserve it. God has said, You are mine. I dont want to share you. I love you. It is when we understand Hoseas story we begin to realize that life may really be a romance with the Divine. Even though we constantly return to our sinful nature, God is always perusing usbecause he loves us. He truly is a God of pursuit. In the space provided, respond to God in the way that seems best for you. -Draw a picture of how you view God now. -Or how you want to begin view Him. -Write a poem or a song letting God know how you honestly feel about Him. Next, try one or all of these exercises. -Go outside and pray out loud. -Grab your cell phone and take a picture of something that represents how you want to begin seeing God. -Sit in silence before God and listen for him in the stillness.

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Part four | God of Pursuit

Final words: As you begin to become aware of distorted images of God, be in prayer that He will open your eyes to see Him more clearly. Be patient. Be honest. He is pursing you always.

Psalm 23 (The Message) Psalm 23 A David Psalm

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GOD, my shepherd! I don't need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction. Even when the way goes through Death Valley, I'm not afraid when you walk at my side. Your trusty shepherd's crook makes me feel secure. You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies. You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing. Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. I'm back home in the house of GOD for the rest of my life.

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