Illusions: Growth, Change and Transformation Misconceptions

I meet with people. I listen to their stories. I step into their space. They talk about their life – their triumphs, their failures, their loves, and their pains. They also talk about their god. Some people claim to hear definitive words of divine instruction, while others believe their God is more mysteriously wooing them to the best possible outcome in any given situation. Regardless of the divine personality, temperament, form or disposition, the common thread I find in these God-reflections are people who are convinced their god would rather interact with someone else rather than them. God would prefer that they work on some things first; “grow” or change in order to relate. There are too many people too eager to change, and not enough people willing to stick it out as themselves. In fact the mere suggestion that God prefers to meet with you now instead of a different (better) version of you is usually received with some degree of hostility. This response is in stark contrast to the message of the Gospel – “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Paul’s intentional preposition, “while we were still sinners,” is designed to directly confront our propensity to hold out until we’re more deserving. Ironically, there is a disproportionate number of people who, in the mirror of contemplation, would actually be somewhat disappointed to find an all-too-familiar face staring back at them on the backside of sanctification.