A Limitless View of God

 I’ve been thinking a lot the last few months about my tendency to limit God by the limits that I, myself, am most comfortable working in. 

If something doesn’t seem to make sense or I think I just don’t want to do something, I tend to shut down my willingness to put in the effort and avoid the change required to do the hard thing. 

Years ago when I was facing a big shift in my life, and was struggling with it, I talked to my Pastor and asked a million questions. I really just wanted it to make sense and wanted him to help me make it make sense! The analytical part of my brain couldn’t get on board with what the spiritual part was leaning towards. 

Frankly, I was scared of change. 

And what the change might cost me. And so I had placed limits on what was reasonable.

But I felt this deep uncomfortableness inside myself, like I had outgrown the clothes I was wearing and yet was still trying to make them fit every day! I liked those “clothes.” I didn’t want to have to break new ones in. 

But that’s what growth and maturity of any kind forces us to do, right? To shift into something new.

My Pastor told me a decade ago that I was in a paradigm shift…a fundamental change in the basic concepts and practices I was used to. And that only I could ultimately decide whether to stay the same or step into the change. He cautioned me to cover it in much prayer and ask for wisdom and discernment and to ask for a willing heart no matter which way God led me.

What I learned during that next season is that no change happens if we limit our movement, and it does not come without certain trepidations. It almost certainly takes a continuous daily surrendering to God. With a willing prayer to “expand my borders, God.” 

It takes movement. 

And surrendering our need to place our own borders.

The enemy will try his best to get you to turn back, to get you to fear, to stir up your anxiety…to make you question your current path. 

The most confusing thing along the way is that you may wonder - what if God is the one trying to get me to turn back around? 

There’s no easy answer there. 

I wish there were. But ultimately it’s about trust.

Just know:

- hard and scary doesn’t mean “bad” (2 Cor 4:16-18)

- “confusion” is often linked to our own inner battle with fear and surrender and is not always an indicator of “wrong.” God’s power is on display in our weakness! (2 Cor 12)

- constantly questioning things along the way is a good thing! Stop and take stock of where you are! Listen to wise voices, even those that disagree, and ask God to give you clear discernment for YOUR journey. (Psalm 1)

And every step of the way, dig deep into God’s Word, and ask him to help you see Him clearly there and guide your steps according to HIS word…not yours and anyone else’s. 

Guard your heart, seek truth…but also be willing to look at things in a way you never have before. Be willing to let God expand your borders, give you a new wardrobe, and guide you on a new path. Don’t be afraid to live with limitless view of God! 

Take the Joshua 3:4 point of view - the whole-picture view because “you’ve never gone this way before.”  

Allow God to shift your perspective. And listen for His voice guiding you on the next step.