This past summer was a major season of reflection: a season of looking back on all that was taught in previous years, taking it in, and thanking God for everything that was learned so far. Without a doubt in my mind each year is another opportunity and chance to allow God to be the focal point of our lives. However, I have come to realize that there can be times when we come up with certain misconceptions of who God is. Unfortunately these misconceptions, or beliefs that we attain, can easily be misinterpreted as being the very characteristics of God, the Father. 

Prior to my arrival at Cairn University, I attended a secular community college where I was forced to associate with atheist professors who would bash God and Christianity in class on a day-to-day basis. Each day in class was another opportunity given to defend the God who I came to know and love over the years. And for the most part I thought I had a pretty good idea of what I believed in. After graduating with my Associates, I decided that transferring to a Christian university would be “easier” (meaning I would have a lot less conflict and zero atheist professors to deal with). It only took me a few weeks into the semester to realize that my glorious expectations were all wrong. I did not realize that I would be faced with controversial and difficult conversations regarding my faith, and I was not at all prepared to stick up for what I believed in because I assumed that I would finally be “safe” being among other believers.

By week two my peers and I were having multiple debates and arguments regarding things such as: women in ministry, predestination, and spiritual gifts (to name a few). I found out that these were just a handful of the controversies which have, for decades, been causing division and separation among those who are in the body of Christ. There were many times last year that I found myself becoming so frustrated with those around me who just did not get it. And in all honesty, many times I clang to my beliefs as if those convictions involved my whole eternity…

Then one day I heard God say:

“Stop putting me in a box. You can not get to know who I am if you are only focusing on ideas of who I am. I am much more than those ideas. Theology is not my character.”

I began to recognize how much I was putting my faith in certain theological beliefs more than I was believing in who Christ said He was in The Word. It made me realize that I actually was placing God in a box; not restricting Him from being who He was, but rather restricting me from getting to know who He really is.

As we begin another semester here at Cairn, instead of placing our faith and beliefs in an idea of God, let us choose to place our entire focus on believing in who God says He is in Scripture.

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

Hebrews 11:6