Longing For God

As humans we are fundamentally relational creatures. We are born designed to need close relationships with others in order to thrive. There’s a therapist I’ve been following on Linkedin and I love her posts because she is repeatedly calling out the toxic positivity of ‘self-help’ culture, where we are supposed to be able to do it all ourselves. When in actual fact what we need more than anything is to be with others. 

It makes me think of how parents are told to teach their babies to ‘self-soothe,’ when in actual fact even fully grown adults struggle with this. But that’s how messed up our disconnection culture is where we expect babies and children to achieve something that adults are not able to. 

As a parent educator I learnt how all of our children’s ‘misbehaviour’ stems from moments of disconnection. Times when they are feeling emotional and can’t feel the presence of an adult who is there. Times when they got hurt and there was no adult to support them.  Times when for whatever reason the sense of connection between parent and child breaks. 

What I’ve realised is that the parent-child relationship mirrors on the small scale a much larger scale relationship. The fact that there is a creator God. The Bible says that we are made in God’s image. God is a personal God. A fundamentally relational being who longs to be connected to us. 

That connection broke because of the fall and ever since then human history has been a story of longing. Of rebelling against God and yet longing to fill the God-shaped hole inside of us all. 

There are some that say (and I was one of them) that God is just another name for ‘source’ or ‘energy’ or a ‘higher power.’ This is a lie from the pit of hell, from a very real being who wants nothing more than for you not to have a relationship with your creator. 

My friends, do not be deceived into thinking you can find God by stepping out into the emptiness by glorifying silent contemplation above the words we use to reach out across the abyss to connect with one another. 

Just as words are our means to bridge the gaps of fallen disconnection between each other so words can help us reconnect with our creator God. 

We can be sure of nothing until we’ve tested the spirits, until we’ve spoken a few words to ask God with a humble heart, ‘’are you real?’‘ 

From all the stories I have heard and from my own experience I am certain that this question never goes unanswered.