“If God were small enough to be understood, he would not be big enough to be worshipped.” — British philosopher Evelyn Underhill
Have you ever wondered if the God you believe in is limited by your own expectations, fears, experiences, or imagination?
The phrase “Is your God too small?” challenges whether your understanding of God is limited, inadequate, or shaped by human constraints, experiences, and understanding rather than the true, vast nature described in the Bible.
Many people unknowingly shrink their understanding of God, confining Him to the boundaries of their own experiences or desires. But what if the struggles with anxiety, frustration, or hopelessness in your life are rooted in a view of God that is simply too small-one that fails to grasp His true greatness, power, and love?
The question “Is your God too small?” challenges you to confront the ways you try to control your world, set your own standards, and live as if you are in charge, rather than surrendering to a God who is far bigger than you can imagine
In contrast, the God of the Bible and New Testament is the opposite of small and manageable, writes J.D. Greer in his book, Not God Enough. Moreover, he writes that almost all of your spiritual problems—things like doubt, anxiety, unhappiness, and insecurity—come from a view of God that is too small.
Greer concludes that “God is big. He is not just big; He is bigger than big. He is bigger than all the words you use to say how “big” He is. He defies your and every individuals’ limited ability to categorize or describe Him.”
People worry and are anxious about their future because their image and beliefs about God is too small. They fret and carry baggage regarding their past because their God is too small. And, they’re unable to find peace and joy in the present because their God is too small.
J.B. Phillips, in his book Your God Is Too Small, argued that many people’s spiritual lives are stunted because their conception of God is limited by personal experience, cultural ideas, or simplistic theology. He encouraged readers to move beyond these small notions and embrace a God who is big enough to meet the challenges of life and worthy of worship.
Further, Phillips writes that a “small” God is one you try to control or understand completely, but the God of the Bible is described as beyond comprehension, holding all creation together, sovereign over nature and nations, and intimately involved with humanity. He argued that the trouble facing many today is that they have not found a God big enough for their perceived modern needs.
Effectively, the God in your mind lacks the awesome, glorious, and incalculable power and authority that the true God of the Bible has. The God of the Bible created the world out of nothing. The God of the Bible is sovereign over everything and everyone.
The God of the Bible and New Testament is beyond your limited and small imagination and understanding
Sources:
- https://jdgreear.com/your-god-is-too-small/
- https://www.crossway.org/articles/is-your-god-too-small/m