Enjoying Another’s Journey
Today I am thinking about the bigness and beauty of God and how my own mind cannot surround it, nor can anyone else’s. This means that in all of our respective journeys, we can have many different perspectives about this God in whom we mutually believe. It also means that my destiny is not to come to the place where I conform to what another believes. And another’s destiny is not to come to what I believe. We are all learning about this bigness and beauty and we are headed towards this same celebration.
I think that just knowing the bigness of God helps me have grace for the thoughts of other people. I am no longer afraid that someone may think something that is not included in my doctrine. And I don’t have as much pride in my own belief (as I once did).
I’ve come to recognize very clearly that religion is a spirit of fear. It can be seen even in Christianity where we can be so united about Jesus being the Savior, yet so afraid of each other’s theology. We fear contamination. We might even want to take action to thwart another’s influence, somehow convinced that our own interpretations are the only correct ones.
Humility is a very beautiful and powerful thing. And I think that when we recognize that our own beliefs have evolved as we have continued to learn from the Lord’s leading, it’s difficult to think that our theology right now is the absolute truth. Will it not continue to evolve? And if we know this, why would we disparage another believer in Christ for standing in their place of evolving theology?
I think Jesus Himself said it best when He said, “He that is not against me is for me,” even as his disciples rebuked those from a different group. There are many things that I once declared dogmatically that I no longer hold to, yet I see God lovingly having His arms around me the whole time, being patient with my inaccuracies, not really rebuking me, but continuing to gently lead me as a wise Father would. I trust that He is big enough to do that for others too.
I love the changes in my heart as I continue to grow a little more in understanding and empathy. Even when I hear someone saying things that I once said (and have moved on to a more accurate truth), I find myself smiling more knowing that they are simply on a path with God also. It’s impossible to love one another when we are afraid of others and their theology. And God is certainly not a spirit of fear. So that spirit, though it seems like an angel of light, is truly not from God. For God is Love. And there is no fear in Love.
All in all, it is actually the person of Love that we are learning - His thoughts, His ways and walking in His restorative power. The world recognizes that we are His children because of that Love that casts out all fear. As we walk further into truth, we are simply going deeper into Love.
We’re happy to be walking with you into the things that God has prepared for us. Some of them, we haven’t seen, some have not yet entered our heart, but it just keeps getting more beautiful as we go. Enjoy your walk. We believe in you.