This paragraph hit me really hard because when I read it I thought about all the times when I would approach God for something but then I would forget to approach Him for just Him. This paragraph alone really got my thoughts going about why I approach God, if that is even what I could call it. I am hoping that I do not look like a spoiled brat who only comes to God on my own terms and for my own reasons. C.S. Lewis could not have put it any better, if we are using God as a road to something, and not as an end then we are not really approaching God.
This got me thinking about how many times in high school I would just approach my mom or dad when I needed money for something or when I was hungry or even when I just needed permission to do something. It was rare, in my earlier years of high school that I would approach my parents simply because I wanted to talk, share, or here's a big one... actually listen to them. I would add my two cents in by saying, "thank you" and "I love you" but then I thought to myself, when did I actually show them that gratitude or that love that I was professing. They were a means to an end, but they, themselves were never the end. Today, I look back at all the times I could have listened or I could have just sat down and talked with them, but instead, I was too consumed with my own life that I forgot one of the most important things in life, relationships. Building relationships, especially with your family members, not to mention your own mom and dad is vital in the developmental process of a human being. But that was the problem, I was too consumed with my life that I only cared about what I could get out of it rather than what I could give to it.
With all that said, C.S. Lewis was very bold by admitting that he had been sliding back to God only so He could be with H. again. He was too consumed with his own sorrows that God was not the destination but the car he used to get where he wanted to go. God is not concerned with our human relationships as He is with our relationship with Him. He is the way, the truth, and the Light, He is not a doormat for people to walkover when entering a door, but rather, He is the door, or might I say, the "house". For He is where we should be residing and He is the only destination that we should be concerned about reaching. This passage really helped me with understanding that God is not here to be the road that we travel on but the end, in which we want to arrive at.
That is a good thought, and I think a lot of people are the same way. I think we age we can though. We don't just run to our parents when we need something, or for money. Or at least for myself, I don't see myself in that way anymore. And spiritually, I have matured and my relationship with Christ I can relate to how you said it.. but now it is as if I just go to my father in Heaven just to talk to him. So, in my opinion with age we learn and act differently than when we were younger, such like high school days.
ReplyDeleteYes I do believe God is more concerned with our relationship with Him then other people. Jesus did say love the Lord with all your heart mind and soul...then second said and love your neighbor as you love yourself. So yea I believe your first point and also your second point in which you say we should not be in relationships to get something out of the other person. I believe we should be in relationships to give... and that giving can be a variety of different things.
ReplyDeleteWow.. this post goes so well with my experience that I had last night, I was blessed in an event that I ran and God was so present in providing for the outcome of the event and everything but instead of remebering that I choose to worry about other things after it was done. It burdened my heart so much that it brought me to tears becuase I though Lord please forgive me- I can be so selfish sometimes which is exactly what you are talking about in this post. Thank you for being so transparent and honest about your life, we all go through it and I think we often are scared to share but through sharing we grow and realize we are all human but we owe God better than what we are giving him on a mediocre day.
ReplyDeletei really loved how you took this piece apart... how many times do we run to god for things but never run to him just for him? reading your blog really put me into a place of just repentence for the fact that i do the samething. i hardly ever run to him just for him. my notions should always be pure and many times they arent.
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