How big is your view of God?
I read this quote from A.W. Tozer the other day and it has got me thinking:
“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” ~ A.W. Tozer
According to this quote, what matters the most in my life isn’t how I view myself. But the world is constantly telling me that I am the most important person and that I should be doing things that make me happy. But strangely, this me-centered view of thinking never leads to happiness. It leads to me always feeling disappointed and like a failure when nothing in my life goes how it should. If the view I have of myself is the number one thing I focus on in my life, then it is catastrophic to my mental health when things don’t turn out in my favor.
This quote is a much-needed reminder that what matters most in my life is how I view God. I am ashamed that I don’t think of God as much as I’d like. It’s too easy for me to get stuck in this me-centered way of thinking. But when I do shift my focus to thinking more about God something amazing happens to my point of view. I begin to see everything that happens in my life as a part of God’s perfect plan for me. Even the painful things that I don’t like to think about and the parts of my life that didn’t go as planned are a part of God’s plan. Thinking about God, and less about me brings me to a place where God gets all the glory for everything in my life. And this is the best part! When I focus on God all of my worries and problems just disappear.
The simple truth is; when God gets bigger our worries get smaller! The more we think of God the bigger our view of God gets and the smaller we get! Isn’t this so cool!
Do you have a low view of God or a high view of God?
A low view of God is the reason why so many of our struggles seem to overwhelm us. If we don’t see God as bigger than our problems then when we go through rough waters, we will feel consumed by them. We need to keep this in mind; God is bigger than the biggest problem we could ever imagine. Let that sink into your head. Think of the biggest problem in your life, then think about how big God is. If God is bigger than the problem you are currently facing, then you can definitely trust him to take care of you.
I think it is helpful for us to consistently be asking ourselves this question. We should regularly stop, evaluate our life and our perspective and see if we have a high view of God or a low view of God. If we find that we have a lower view of God and our problems are taking center stage in our life then we can go to our Lord in prayer and humbly ask Him to help us have a bigger view of Him as we face the trial before us.
How to Get a bigger view of God
“He must increase, but I must decrease” ~John 3:30
This verse says it so clearly! The more we grow in our walk with God the bigger God will get and the smaller we will get. One great way to have a bigger view of God is to read more about God and read His word regularly. Constantly filling up your mind with the things of God will slowly begin to shape you and make you think more about God.
Another great way to develop a bigger view of God is to study all of God’s attributes. Last year my college group did a study on God’s attributes, and then my church small group did a study on God’s attributes, and then my friend gave me three books on God’s attributes. After those two studies and three books, wow, my view of God has grown. That year I had this overwhelming feeling of awe of who God is because I couldn’t get over everything that I was learning about who God is to us through studying his attributes!
Applying a bigger view of God to your lifestyle
Another super cool thing is that having a bigger view of God is going to affect every aspect of your life! It will even change how you view your outings and adventures. I love going to the mountains for my adventures because when I see the huge mountains towering above me I am reminded of how small I am and how big God is. I can’t help but praise God and thank him for the reminder of how big he is when I see his creation.
When you go out adventuring with others and doing life with people, if your view of God is big, others will notice. The people in your life will begin to see that you are not overwhelmed by the world because you are serving a God who is bigger than the things of this world. This is a great opportunity for you to point out to others who God is and even introduce them to the gospel. So let your big view of God seep into your adventures and relationships and see what happens!
Are you ready to embrace a bigger view of God!
“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” ~ A.W. Tozer
So what comes to your mind when you think about God? Do you need to decrease more so God can increase?
It’s amazing what happens when we take the time to learn more about God. I encourage you to start learning more about God and watch what will happen!
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