The human soul is deep and complex and everyone brings out a different side of who we are. While we’re the same person, we cannot have the exact same relationship with any two people. Each relationship is personal with its own unique combination of personalities, rhythms, and quirks.
For instance, we can see this in our friendships, as we connect in a different way with each friend. We’re not inconsistent in who we are and the different sides of us are not in conflict with each other. No one is shocked by how we show up in different spaces because there’s an internal consistency behind it all, even when it’s expressed in vastly different ways on the surface.
Likewise, our relationship with our wife is different from the relationship with our best friend. And we must also forge a personal relationship with each of our children even though we’re the same parent to them all.
To be fair, these personal relationships tend to make sense on a human level. But this also plays out in our relationship with God.
While God is the same God over all, his relationship with each of us will also be unique and personal. And we shouldn’t expect our relationship with him to look exactly like anyone else’s.
Of course, we can and should learn from his relationship with others. But we must still discover the unique tenor of our relationship with God as well.
This is not an attempt to form God into an image of our own liking, as God will remain true to who he is and his standards for our life will remain unchanged. But how we do life with God – experience his presence, discern his voice, and receive his joy will be unique to each of us. This might not make sense to others, and this is okay, as each must find his own way.
In the end, there are no cookie cutter relationships. Each is personal and unique, and this includes our relationship with God.
Photo by Marek Piwnicki on Unsplash
