i think one big misconception regarding christianity is the fact that we are ashamed and sometimes even afraid to run to God or to ask for help from the Christian church whenever we screw up. i always find that “going back” to God after not doing devos for a while or after i’ve done something that i shouldn’t have was the hardest and usually the biggest hindrance! which is ridiculous b/c it is when we sin and when we stray from God that we need Him the most, yet ironically it is in those instances that we build the biggest wall between us and God. maybe it’s our human way of trying to create justice in the face of a gracious God?
i’m reading this book called ’surrender to love’ by David Benner (who is by the way a christian psychologist author…perfect for me haha!) who begins the book by addressing that problem. he drew this analogy about how kids, disappoint their parents, they screw up and hurt their parents, but that is rarely what parents think about all the time! in the same manner, we commonly have this misconception of God being preoccupied with our shortcomings and as i mentioned before, act as major hindrances in our relationship with Him.
for the first time i suppose the story of the prodigal son actually sunk in. GOd is hurt when we turn away from Him, but the moment we decide to go back, He is overwhelmed with love for us.
don’t get me wrong, i’m not in any way down playing sin. i remember my youth pastor once said that God chooses to forgive us, but that does not excuse us from the consequences of sin.
Posted by chokan 