“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.  The most telling fact about any man is not what he at a given time may say or do, but what he in his deep heart conceives God to be like.” – A.W. Tozer

“We can all see God in exceptional things, but it requires the culture of spiritual discipline to see God in every detail.”- Oswald Chambers

“Where can we go to find God if we see cannot see Him in our own hearts and in every living being.” – Swami Vivekananda

The quality of your life, the impact it has on others, and your ability to have a peaceful assurance about anything you face, rests solely on how you view God and who He is in your mind’s eye.  In fact, as A.W. Tozer states above, it’s the most important thing about you 😊

Think about that for a second and how it applies to you specifically. 

When you think about God, what comes to mind?  What does He represent to you and what characteristics do you associate with Him?  More significantly, why is how we THINK about God tied so directly to who we are and what we become?  What makes it so important to us?

If you had to list your top five thoughts about God, what would they be?

Some might think of God as judgmental – constantly weighing us against a holy standard of behavior.  We might think of His wrath – poured out on many people and individuals throughout Scriptures.  We may connect events that unfold in our lives as a form of it – a punishment so to speak for failing to follow the rules and principles He invokes.  You may see Him as critical, demanding an unreachable standard and expectation, one that isn’t even worth striving to attain.

Some may see Him as aloof or absent.  Many, due to this perceived absence, don’t believe He even exists.  If God is who He says He is, then how could the evil in this world prevail?  If He is loving, why does He permit suffering and loss?  If He is in control, why is everything spinning out of control?  If He is just, why all the injustice everywhere? If He is always present, then why do I feel so alone all the time? 

Some conclude that because of all these things, He must not exist, and if He does; He is too far removed from this world to even care about what takes place.

Some see Him as a Father figure – loving, forgiving, and always providing.  Some think of His authority and rule over all things both great and small.  We may see Him as sovereign, all powerful, and full of mercy and grace.

Do you have your top five answers yet – your list of the top five thoughts that come to your mind when you think about God?

If you do, write them down and visually look at them.  Now ask yourself – do these represent who God REALLY IS?

You see, how can we formulate accurate thoughts about someone we know little about or talk to so infrequently?  How can we make truthful statements about a God we seldom invite into our lives or circumstances?  How can we interpret the actions or inactions of someone we don’t desperately seek to know or understand?

This isn’t a question based on if you believe in God or you don’t believe in Him at all.  Many believers fall into the trap of leaving their Bible on the shelf, going weeks without uttering a meaningful prayer or inviting God into their lives and circumstances.  We make Him the center of attention for one hour on a Sunday and ignore Him the rest of the week.

If you believe or not, are your thoughts of Him based on being a complete stranger, a somewhat casual acquaintance, or a deeply, intimate friend?

How often do you talk to Him, read about Him to study His character attributes, or invite Him into your life to see Him work?

So, your top five list, how confident are you in your assessment?

I can tell you my friend, my thoughts about God have evolved through time.  When you think about it, yours have as well.  The single biggest thing that has influenced that evolution for me is the time spent getting to know Him, talking to Him, watching for Him, relying on Him, and inviting Him into all aspects of my life.  Just realize the greater distance you are away from someone, the less you know about them and who they really are.

The importance behind this accurate, intimate view of God lies in what Tozer says above – what we think about God is the most important thing about US 😊

If we think of God as judgmental and critical, then we manifest those attributes in our own lives.  If we see Him as absent or aloof, we too become distant and detached.  If we see Him lacking control, then we too have less restraint and feel more driven by fate.  If we think about His wrath, then we too will invoke our anger and fury on others.

But if we see Him as loving unconditionally, then we too will love deeply.  If we see His forgiveness, we become more gracious and understanding.  If we see His sovereignty, then we embrace all events of life as if they come directly from Him – trusting and having peace no matter what unfolds.  If we believe He has a plan for us, then we live a life of purpose.

What we think about God has a direct correlation to who we become 😊 It truly is the most important thing about us!

When you look at your top five list, can you see the connection?

My prayer is that each of us (me included) look deeply at what we think about God and who He is – striving to learn more about Him through prayer, study, and watching how He works in our lives.  The more we know about Him, the more accurate our thoughts about Him will be – changing our lives and the lives of those we touch.

It will become the most important thing about you my friend 😊

God bless!