Oftentimes when people find out that I am a yoga instructor, they say, “Oh I could never do yoga, I’m just not flexible enough.”

But, they don’t understand. If they practiced yoga they would become more flexible. Shying away from stretching and lengthening one’s body through a regular yoga practice only keeps our condition the same; inflexible. 

                             Learning

But, more important than our opinion concerning yoga, are our notions about God. What we believe to be true concerning the Blessed Controller and Creator of all things will either hinder or help us, draw us near or keep us far away, leave us in the dust or lead us into a verdant way of living. 

During my formative years, my parents did their best to introduce me to God. But their introduction could only go as far as their personal experience and limited understanding. As a result, I formulated the belief that God was far off, impersonal, but at the same kept a record of my misdeeds. 

In essence, I surmised that God was difficult to please, not exactly someone that I could form a close relationship with, and more like an adult I needed to respect, than a close friend that I could be confined in. 

Since childhood though, I’ve gotten to know God for myself and continue to get to know him. In doing so, my ideology and faith have drastically altered.

For example, in my most desperate moment, when I stood on the cusp of ending my life, Jesus showed up in a relational and personal way. The encounter was brief, but believable and his words understandable, “You could choose life.” 

God did not show up with a record of all my misdeeds to coerce or force me into behaving differently. Instead, he showed up to show me that I had a choice; to believe or continue in my state of unbelief. Either choice came with their own set of consequences.

If I’d chosen to continue in my state of unbelief, I would have disregarded the invitation to live and instead, died young. If I’d chosen to continue to remain with the childhood concept that God is far off, I would not have believed that I was experiencing his presence. If I’d believed that God showed up to critique my behavior, then my misdeeds would have embarrassed me. 

But, I chose to believe and as a result, my concept has been altered. God is for me, not against me. God is someone with whom I can have a close relationship with, and one in whom I can confide. He doesn’t show up to shame us, he shows up to love us. 

Why bother getting to know God for ourselves?  We can know God through the eyes of someone else, but that only gives us a shortsighted view of the extravagant and limitless person who waits to personally introduce himself to us.