Why Do We Put God in A Box?

If God is omnipresent, the Creator of the Universe, the one who gives us life, the beauty in all things, then why do we put God in a box?

Who is God?

God’s beauty cannot be contained. His love runs wild and free and so does His creation. Why do we put God in a box if He runs through our veins and creates beauty all around us? Art cannot be contained. Love cannot be contained. Science cannot be contained. Creation cannot be contained. So why do we try to put God in a box?

This is something that I have been thinking a lot about lately. Too often we try to put God in a box because of the things that we are afraid of. If God created the Heavens and the Universe and everything in between, then He/She is not capable of being contained. Why do we try to shape and mold who God is to meet our needs and desires? God is preached to have an individual relationship with His creation. Though I believe God is everything beautiful, holy, and good, I don’t believe that God is exactly to me who He/She is to you.

For some of us, God is a motherly figure that we never had growing up. Whether the relationship with our mothers are dysfunctional or barely there, God is that motherly comfort we so desperately desire. Same goes for those who have had “daddy issues” growing up. God is that provider and protector for those who struggle with parental authority.

For others, God may be the way we are comforted in the creative arts. Music, art, beauty, it’s all around us and for some of us, that is how we worship our Creator.

Why do we put God in a box?

Though God is all things love and acceptance, God looks different to each and every single one of us. To me, that is what makes God so beautiful and real.. He is everywhere, all the time, connected to all of us in a unique way. So why do we put God in a box?

Well, admittedly, it’s not that we are afraid of things we don’t understand, but that we are afraid of things we cannot control. I have zero understanding of mechanics but I am not afraid of learning or my lack of expertise. But what I am afraid of is losing control over my own life. And if I have a faulty vehicle, of course I am going to do everything in my power to make sure it operates effectively for my health and safety.

I think we do the same to God. It’s not that we are afraid of God because we don’t understand who He/She is. But so many of use are afraid of allowing God the freedom to simply exist alongside of us. We tend to put God in a box because we are afraid of what God can create. We are afraid of what God is capable of. I think we try to shape God into exactly how we think God should operate. But what if we allowed God to be free?

What if instead of defining labels and cramped packages, we allowed ourselves to be free?

*This week, Cody and I are talking about what it looks like to worship and Inclusive God in an Exclusive Religion. If you would like to hear more about our conversation , you can listen here.