With: Reimagining the Way You Relate to God, by Skye Jethani
We live in a world of chaos and danger, and therefore seek control in order to mitigate our fears. Religion offers the promise of enhancing our control through putting us in touch with supernatural or divine forces. However, the original fall of humanity resulted from the attempt to seize control instead of trusting in and relying on God. Therefore “seeking control is not the solution to the human condition, but is part of the problem.”
Jethani describes five common approaches in relating to God, four of which miss the mark, and only reflect and reinforce our sinful desire for control.
Approach #1: Life Under God
This approach consists in obeying religious rules and observing religious rites in order to get God to do what we want. The (unarticulated) goal is to put God in our debt, expecting him to do our bidding in exchange for worship and obedience. Life under God often produces legalistic Christians, who become disillusioned when God fails to come through on what they perceive as His part of the bargain.
Approach #2: Life Over God
This approach seeks to discover the ultimate laws and principles which lead to success and achievement. The Bible is viewed as a source of principles for living, rather than a vehicle for coming to know God and communing with Him. If one can learn and implement the divinely ordained principles for marriage, child-rearing, finances, leadership, church growth, etc., then one is assured of success in these areas. But God’s role is reduced to that of law-maker, and His presence is no longer required or sought.
Approach #3: Life From God
This approach rightly views God as the source of all good things, but the focus is on God’s gifts more than on God Himself. The self takes center stage, and God functions as a “divine butler” to supply our needs and wants, and as a “cosmic therapist” to solve our problems. “The Life From God posture is so appealing because it doesn’t ask us to change. What we desire, what we seek, what we do, and how we live – all shaped by consumerism – are not disrupted.” God Himself becomes a means to help us achieve our ends.
Approach #4: Life For God
This approach is often contrasted with Life From God, as a shift from taking to giving, from being consumers to being servants. Responding to God’s call and fulfilling His mission become central. This may sound good, but it is wrong and idolatrous to allow the mission to replace God at the center of life. Our significance is not to be found in achieving the mission. We may accomplish a lot with this approach, but at what cost? (See Matthew 7:22, 23.) Such “missionalism” can become all-consuming and destructive, leading to the sacrifice of health, family, integrity, and fellowship with God.
Approach #5: Life With God
This approach recognizes that relationship is central to reality (think Trinity). Redemption is all about restoring our broken relationship with God.
"God’s plan to restore his creation was not to send a list of rules and rituals to follow (Life Under God), nor was it the implementation of useful principles (Life Over God). He did not send a genie to grant us our desires (Life From God), nor did he give us a task to accomplish (Life For God). Instead God himself came to be with us – to walk with us once again as he had done in Eden at the beginning."
The goal of life is to seek God himself. God himself becomes our treasure, and life is devoted to experiencing fellowship and union with Him. Living with God, we demonstrate faith in joyfully surrendering control of our lives. We experience freedom from fear in His presence with us. We find hope in the midst of chaos, knowing that He is in control. And we learn to share with others the love we receive from Him.
"What brings a person value, significance, and hope is not what he does but with whom he does it. The call to live in continual communion with God means that every person’s life, no matter how mundane, is elevated to sacred heights."