#Misunderstood: Understanding the Nature of God

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—–Understanding the Nature of God—–

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Have you ever been negatively accused of being something or someone you’re not? Usually you would brush it off, if a complete stranger made accusations about you. You might not see them again and they are not close enough to you to make a true assessment of your character. It’s awkward and upsetting, however, when people who are supposed to know you, don’t know your nature at all. So, you can only imagine how God must feel when people are claiming to serve Him and be friends with Him are misunderstanding and misjudging His character.

How many times have you accused God of being unfair or anything BUT good because He did NOT give you something? Have you assumed the Master was harsh because of your circumstances? This is a dangerous place to be in as a Christian. I would know because when God was trying to break me free of an atheist mindset, I struggled with thoughts like this due to my inability to see God’s hand moving on my life.

God promised me many things, but I could not see them. The better things God spoke to me, the worst it seemed things became. Every ounce of logic and intellect in my flesh questioned the goodness of God and His overall nature. Every time God or some other Christian would speak to me that ALL things worked together for my good or that God ‘loved’ me. I would bitterly and sarcastically respond to them, “Good? Define good! What does God see as ‘good’? Because if this is ‘good’ to God, I’d hate to see bad from Him.”

“He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth”

Matthew 25:24-30(ESV)

When you are frustrated with your life or current season or are not understanding why God is allowing you to go through what you’re going through, instead of judging God’s character out of anger like the lazy and wicked servant did, start thinking of questions to ask Him. Let me explain, I used to be the student that would always do well in my classes, so much so that I never needed to ask the professor or teacher any questions, I would always get A’s.

At one point, however, the material got challenging enough where I needed to ask questions. At the beginning of the semester, I would feel as though the material was easy enough to understand and later became frustrated as to why I wasn’t getting a perfect mark on the things I turned in. Eventually, one day, I asked a grader why he graded the work I was doing the way he did. When he explained to me his perspective as a grader and not a student, then I finally understood what things I could work on to improve my work. Could it be that you don’t understand God’s perspective because you haven’t spent enough time with Him to recognize it? Even the Bible says that no one can fully understand God’s way, but scriptures also speak that we should at least recognize His care.

“Even an ox knows its owner, and a donkey recognizes it’s master’s care–but Israel[My chosen one] doesn’t know it’s master. My people don’t recognize my care for them.”

Isaiah 1:3(NLT)

Now, to some Christians this seems to be common sense, but for other Christians they do the same thing to God. Some Christians don’t recognize the nature of the master. How many times are you just somewhere thinking that God is horrible, unfair, that the devil/wicked are winning, that it was not worth serving God, or that God is favoring others over you because of your current season? Instead of coming to God calmly with your questions to see His perspective, we yell, scream, vent, and sometimes ask questions that we don’t really even wait for an answer from God for. We blame God and sometimes let our view of His character be misinterpreted and #Misunderstood.

“You have said terrible things about me”, says the Lord. “But you say, ‘What do you mean? What have we said against you?’ “You have said, ‘What’s the use of serving God? What have we gained by obeying His commands or by trying to show the Lord of Heaven’s Armies that we are sorry for our sins? From now on we will call the arrogant blessed. For those who do evil get rich, and those who dare God to punish them suffer no harm.’”

Malachi 3:13-15(NLT)

Everyone has been in at least one argument where the person they were arguing with wouldn’t even let them speak. It’s frustrating and irritating because it seems like no matter what you say, the other person will not listen. Sometimes this person will even go to low blows and accuse you of having character that is nothing like what they know that you have. If you never let God speak to you about what and why you’re going through what you’re going through, then there’s NO WAY He’ll ever be able to bring the clarity you need.

Sometimes God, just stops speaking(some people call this a ‘silent season’), because He knows in the current state of mind you’re in, you will not HEAR what it is that He is trying to explain to you. Meaning, you’re so frustrated, irritated, and blinded by your current situation or season that you cannot receive what it is that God has to say to you. I see a LOT of Christians who come to talk with me saying they cannot hear from God clearly as they did before and that is a HUGE sign that you are not ready to receive what God has to say to you. This is because your character has not been properly developed to the place it needs to be at for you to fully swallow the given Word.

“But I, brothers,  could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food[with meat], for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. ”

1 Corinthians 3:1-3(ESV)

Could it be that God is NOT looking at you unfavorably, but is actually trying to accomplish refinement through you? But because you refuse to let God grow you to the point where you can hear the ‘meat’ of the Word that He wants to give you instead of sipping on ‘milk’, you are not able to move forward out of the season that you are in(if you are feeling stuck in this season please check out my blog HERE). Maybe God isn’t as bad as you think He is. Maybe you’re just thinking poorly of Him because of things others have spoken or the fact that you don’t see Him changing your situation. God is a good and loving Father and He doesn’t desire for us to think of Him as anything but that. The trials, the tests, and the tribulations are mainly there for your faith to increase so that in future seasons you will not be put to shame.

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

James 1: 2-4(NKJV)

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—————-ABOUT THE AUTHOR—————-

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Hello there! My name is Adrianna Smith! I’m the author of these She is Adrianna posts.  I serve/minister at my local church and work at the same time. I have a strong heart for God and His people and pray that my testimonies and teaching as well as encouragement helps edify you in your walk with Christ. If you have any questions either DM me on instagram or facebook OR email me at sheisadrianna@gmail.com. I do not consider myself an expert or a replacement for a pastor, but I will try to help direct you the best I can.