Boxed In

Humans tend to compartmentalize everything into neat, little boxes in order to remember and understand. Classification of life, organized closets, etc all speak to our propensity for dividing life into small compartments. Some people have such a “boxed-in” personality that they miss out on certain things in life. Hence the exhortation to “think outside the box”. However, there are some things in life that defy compartmentalization. One of them is God Himself. He is way bigger than any box our minds could conceive.

Oprah Winfrey is one of the latest in a long line of people that has decided that God isn’t the God for them because of some mental box in which they have placed Him. When some new “revelation” about Him comes to light, they dismiss Him or the idea as bunk because it doesn’t fit into their preconceived ideas. She has now formed her own “religion” because she says that she can’t worship a God that is jealous. How silly is that? God is indeed a jealous God as is any human is in a loving relationship where the spouse goes astray. Why would God be any different? He loves us with an unfailing love and the natural response, albeit without sin, to the spurning of that love would be jealousy. Who are we to question how God feels?

Another way humans compartmentalize God is by expecting Him to grant their wish like Aladdin’s genie. His plan for each human life and Creation as a whole is on a much higher plane than we as humans can ever hope to comprehend on this side of eternity. When we don’t get our way, we shake our fists at God, pout like a 2-year old, and blame Him for our woes, trials, and tribulations. Many times, the choices we make land us in a predicament that we don’t like. Other times, life itself is to “blame” for our circumstances. Whatever the reason for the situation, God already knew where we would be at that particular time in life and has a plan to lead us through if we only allow Him to lead. When we don’t try to place God inside the “box” that we think is the solution, blessings beyond measure will flow our way.

God is above our earthly box-mentality. Placing God in a box is not only minimizing God and His ability, but also is damaging to our spiritual growth. When we try to place God in a box, we ourselves become boxed in. But when we allow Him to work in our lives as He wants, we will not only receive His free gift of salvation, but we will grow daily in Him and become more Christ-like as the days pass by.

Have a blessed day!