(re)Building Our Relationship with God

Is God safe?

The answer to this question completely depends on your perspective and your definition of safe. If by "safe" you mean "Will God ensure my life is comfortable and that I will not need to grow, change, or suffer?" then the answer is "No, God is not safe." As one of the characters in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobeputs it, he is good, but he's not safe.

If by safe you mean, "Can I bring all my ugliness and brokenness to God, can he see me as I truly am, and will he love me?" then the answer is "Yes, you are safe. You are deeply known. You are deeply loved. There is no shame, judgment, or disgust cast upon you by God."

I ask this question because of our collective human experience over the past two years of pandemic. Over this time, I've walked with dozens and dozens of people - literally walked with them around Steveston as we talked, shared, and prayed.

Some were followers of Jesus, some were not, yet almost all of them at different times expressed a sense of languishing and a sense that they, their life, or their relationships were fading away. Some voiced concerns, others doubts, and still others anger (at God or people) for how the past two years have unfolded.

Now, two years into this pandemic, perhaps the time has come to turn our focus from the way life has faded away to rebuilding our lives, starting with our life with God. And to do this, we need to be safe, because to do this we have to strip away all the pretty decorations we show others, look at our foundation with brutal honesty, and begin the long, hard work of rebuilding our relationship with God.

And in that sense, you are safe. You can express ugliness, anger, or doubts to God, and he still loves you deeply. You can be honest with the state of your heart, and he still loves you deeply. You can even tell him how you're struggling to believe, and he still loves you deeply. The lovingkindness of God is the foundation upon which we build, rebuild, or strengthen our relationship with him.

For His unfailing love is great, and it is intended for us,
    and His faithfulness to His promises knows no end.
Praise the Lord.

~ Psalm 117:2

PAUSE and REFLECT: If you knew God was totally, completely, utterly safe, that he would not judge you or be disgusted by you for what you're thinking or feeling on the inside, what would an honest expression of your inner landscape today look like?

He is a safe place for you to do this.

So this week, I invite to take some time for brutal honesty about where you're at with God. Be honest with yourself. Be honest with him. Then, before anything else, receive his love - know that even though the inner landscape may be a mess, you are not a failure. You are beloved.

Finally, ask him, "What's my next step?" Whether we are doing well in our relationship with God or whether we are languishing, there is always a next step.

What's yours?

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Photo by Nolan Issac on Unsplash