Does Your Perception of God Affect How You Relate to Others?

How we view God, or a higher power, can have an impact on how we relate to others. Often the role(s) we see God as having in our lives influences our relationships with others. It can affect the way we think others perceive us and how we treat them in return. By understanding our perception of God, we can have insights into our own behaviors and thought processes. With that information we can improve our own relationships and become stronger persons.

Take a few minutes to reflect on how you perceive God. You may need to probe deeply into your heart as your perception of God may lie within your subconscious. Does He embody the role of a specific person? Can you liken Him to a certain occupation? Perhaps you see God as having several characteristics, but one or two of those traits stand out more distinctly than the rest. Now think about how your perception of God might affect how you relate and interact with others. Consider how some of these possible perceptions of God could influence your behavior and thoughts.

Is your perception of God...

that of a superior holy being only to be worshipped? Then perhaps you struggle with feeling inferior to others. You might be plagued with thoughts that people think that they are better than you. Because of that you may try to emulate those around you whom you feel are superior. This might make you be somewhat of a social chameleon, picking up on the qualities of the community in which you surround yourself. You might be very adaptable and appear to fit in among any crowd.

Is your perception of God...

that of a teacher? You might hunger for wisdom and a chance to grow intellectually. You likely value education and seek out others who can expand your ideas on a variety of topics. Conversely, you may enjoy instructing others and sharing what you know. This perception of God might make you often question the validity of other;s thoughts and ideas. You might put great value on numbers, statistics, and facts.

Is your perception of God...

that of a judge that sees only right or wrong with no gray area in between? You may be on a constant quest for discovering the right way to do things or feel compelled to encover the truth in all situations and circumstances. Perhaps you often feel that there must be only one right way to do things. It may also mean that you have a tendency to try and repeatedly justify or explain yourself to others. This may affect how you relate to others because you frequently assume people are judging you. Conversely, you might judge others actions by standards you have set for yourself.

Is your perception of God...

that of a distant creator? Is God a maker of the universe who stepped back and no longer has control over it? You may struggle with control issues. You may either feel as if you have no control over what is going on around you, or you might try to control endless details of your life. Because of the distance you view God as having, it might make you feel under-valued and out-of-touch with others.

Do you doubt there is a God?

Then you might find yourself to be skeptical of life. You might question others and appreciate when someone can effectively prove their point. You likely value evidence to substantiate claims. Personally, perhaps you often doubt yourself and have an indecisive nature.

When I consider my perception of God as a Christian...

My perception of God is Jesus Christ. God experiences a full range of "human" emotions such as love, anger, joy, and peace. He feels things just as I do. He hurts when I hurt and is overjoyed when I fell joy. Beyond this, He is loving, forgiving, compassionate, merciful, kind, patient, and eternally gracious.

The impact of this is a tall order for me, one of which I continually fall short. Daily I must remind myself to embody those characteristics, and, in humility, recognize that I will fall short. In those ever-so-frequent moments when I recognize my iniquity, I ask for His forgiveness and rejoice in His mercy. I also must ask forgivness from those whom I have wronged. I must also remind myself that I must be quick to offer compassion, mercy, and forgiveness to others even if they do not ask for it themselves. Further, compassion, mercy, and forgiveness should even be offered to those whom I erringly judge to be unworthy of said graces. I also am called to forgive absolutely anything that I am asked to forgive. As I said, I continually miss the mark of behaving to the extent that I view God. However, I rejoice in the comfort of his unbelievable grace. I must remind myself that God does not request perfection, but devotion. I take comfort in that.

However you perceive a higher power, be it through the eyes of a Christian, Buddhist, pagan, or agnostic, you still might be able to glean some important self-revelations by reflecting on the qualities of God. Consider your own perceptions and if those views impact how you relate to others. It may help you recognize the motivations behind your actions and help you understand how you view and treat others. By reflecting on our perceptions of how we view God, we can challenge ourselves to grow as individuals and strengthen our relationships, regardless of how we label ourselves in worship.