We can make God or pursing spirituality in our life so confusing. We put up all these obstacles or claim certain beliefs are necessary before we can follow or even be accepted by God. What parent insists a child jump through certain hoops when interest is express in having a relationship? Jesus didn’t talk to people they way we sometimes talk to others about God. Jesus simply encouraged people to follow their heart.
You don’t have to sing about how great God is and what a wretched soul you are. Most of know we aren’t the person we hope to be. We all wish we were more patience at times; we all wish we could take back certain actions in our life that hurt others and ourselves. You don’t have to go to religious meetings to sing God’s praises. Simply seek out others anywhere anytime that encourage being the kind of person deep down you want to be. God isn’t interested in one-way worship but a friendship and relationship to share life together.
You don’t to worship the Bible as if it were some idol. God doesn’t insist on knowing certain information in the Bible when the majority of people who have been born never had such written knowledge. The writers may have only written down God’s inspirational thoughts, or God’s respect for freedom may have allowed a writer’s personal moral view to creep into the Bible. A rational explanation may exist why a loving God encouraged certain behaviors in the Bible but that is not the point. God never intended one to read anything without their heart and their brain.
You don’t have to believe Jesus resurrected if the historical evidence is not convincing to you. You don’t have to say some ritual prayer about your beliefs or sins before considering God; you don’t, you don’t, you don’t. Jesus didn’t have a litmus test before simply encouraging others to considering lifestyle changes that are in their interests and others they have a relationship with. We don’t have to argue about certain beliefs as long as not violating the rights of others.
You don’t even have to believe in God. If may be hard to wrap your head around an invisible God. People may want to debate if humans have any purpose by design if there is not a Creator. One may say without a standard other than ours, good or evil is in the eyes of individual humans. Most of us know and can agree on good from bad. Most of us can agree about behaviors that are self-destructive or destructive toward others. Life can have a purpose without a Creator. For me, because it is easy to believe in a Creator, such a belief is icing on the cake for me and gives me hope after death.
God only cares about us considering loving others like we want to be loved. We all will be selfish at least one more time but we can strive. Also, in a broken world we have to consider matters such as justice and forgiveness, because one day we may be on that side of the fence. Love doesn’t mean we can’t protect ourselves from those pursing self-gratification. We don’t have to necessarily forgive those who have no regrets and continue to hurt us, but we must find a way to not continue to be victims by harboring bitterness or seeking revenge. I think loving others like we want to be loved deep down is really all God cares about. I am convinced God simply seeks to encourage and support us in such a journey.
What God May Really Be Like - Misbeliefs About God 