How Our Relationships Help Us Understand God
One reason relationships are so important in life is because they’re designed as a reflection, a mirror, of our relationship with God. Over and over through Scripture God uses the positions of father, mother, brother, bridegroom, and friend to describe Himself to His people.
The only problem with this is that sin, like it did in the garden, breaks those relationships and puts questions where there should be safety and sorrow where there should be joy—leaving so many people with a confused idea of what God is like.
When you think about it, one of the main reasons people question God’s goodness is because they’ve experienced a break in relationship.
- God is a father? Well, let me tell you about my father.
- God is a mother? He must be manipulative, huh?
- God is a brother? Mine hasn’t talked to me in years.
- God is a bridegroom? Don’t remind me of my abusive ex.
- God is a friend? Oh, so He’s going to turn on me and hurt me?
At the beginning of this year, I started praying that God would show me the places I’ve been viewing Him wrong—and to give me a renewed understanding of what it’s supposed to mean when He identifies Himself as a father, mother, brother, bridegroom, and friend.
What would all those relationships look like without the presence of sin? What is being revealed by these comparisons that I am confusing because of my personal trauma?
Through this journey I’ve been reminded, deeply, of God’s character. Of how every type of relationship is redeemed in Him, and in opening our hearts to seeing His reflection in our stories—so many hurting places in us can be healed.
Over this next month I’m going to be sharing some of my discoveries with you. But I pray that these stories are just the launching place for you to see God’s reflection for yourself.
He longs to be known by us.
He long to redeem and transform our stories.
And He longs to heal up all the places where our hearts struggle.
Let’s allow Him free reign.
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