Podcast Episode 166 - Growing Closer to God pt 1 - Discover the Lens You Experience God Through
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Do you do all the Christian things, pray, read Bible, and go to church, yet you don’t feel close to God?
When you approach God, do you feel not enough? Not good enough, haven’t done enough, not holy enough? Not as good as so-and-so?
Or do you feel like you’re too much for God to love you? Too much sin? Too many issues? Too many mistakes? Too much drama?
We’re starting a new series–Growing closer to God. As Christians, that’s our goal, right? But how many of you feel like you’re doing all the things but still feel far from Him most days?
Today is for you if…
If you desire a closer relationship with God but aren’t sure how.
If you’re tired of trying everything you’re supposed to do as a Christian, but it’s not creating that intimacy with God you desperately crave.
If you’re ready to finally enjoy your relationship with God instead of feeling like not enough or too much.
I grew up in church…born on Friday in church on Sunday.
But I didn’t actually feel close to God until my 40s.
Why?
I knew ABOUT God, but I KNOW God.
Ephesians 3:19 NASB
…know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
Know here in Greek is first-hand experience.
It also references sexual intimacy between husband and wife.
Luke 1:34, “And Mary [a virgin] said to the angel, ‘How will this be since I do not know (1097/ginōskō = sexual intimacy) a man?’”
I knew God in my head. I had the head knowledge. I did all the things you’re supposed to do. But I hadn’t experienced Him intimately.
John 14:20 NASB
In that day, you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
Knowing God first-hand by experience reminds me of Disney World. Before I went, I knew about Disney World. Everyone told me how magical it was, but I didn’t get it.
Until I experience Disney World for myself for the first time in my late 20s.
I finally got it…MAGICAL!
Experiencing God first-hand works the same way. Until I experienced the intimacy of God first-hand, I didn’t get it. It was only head knowledge.
For many of us, the biggest hindrance to experiencing God first-hand is the lens through which we view Him.
Did you ever own a pair of glasses or sunglasses that were colored?
The first pair of glasses I got as a kid were rose-tinted. Everything I saw looked rosy.
Later my husband, Bob, got some sunglasses that had a red lens…everything showed up red, like looking through a fire.
Just like my rose-tinted glasses…
The lens you view God through will determine how you see Him and experience Him.
That’s good or bad, depending on how you see him…
If you see Him as a punishing God, you’ll struggle to get close
If you see Him as a performance God, you’ll never feel like you’re enough
If you see Him as a Strict God, you’ll strive to be perfect
When we see God as punishing… that’s how we experience Him.
When anything happens to us, because we see God as punishing, performance-based or whatever, we interpret that it’s God doing that to us.
Even though that’s not who He is.
It’s like our own self-fulling prophecy.
But what happens if we change our lens?
If you see Him as Love, you’ll experience rest in knowing you’re enough
If you see Him as Abba-Daddy, your experience when you fall and scrap your knee is to run into his arms for comfort
If you see Him as Protector, you’ll experience Him as a protector and can hide under the shadow of His wings
If you see His humor, you’ll experience Him as fun God
Homework:
Discover the lens you’re viewing Father through.
It may be multiple lenses... a mix of good and bad.
We can’t change what we’re not aware of.
Next, decide what lens you want to view Father in. In what way do you want to grow closer to Him?
Over the next episode, we’ll explore the three secrets to growing closer to God. This will help you change the lens you view God so you can experience Him first-hand. You’ll grow to the point you can delight in an intimate relationship with your Heavenly Father!
Once you’re delighting in an intimate relationship with Father, you can stop hiding and run into His arms.
This is also the foundation so you can show up fully yourself and fulfill your God-given purpose courageously!
If you’re enjoying this show, please do me a favor. Rate and review the show if you haven’t already. This also helps others find it so they can grow closer to God too!