8. As I come to know God better my image of Him may change. It may become different than it was at first. It may become clearer, and it might even surprise me.

Has your image of God changed since you first decided to follow Jesus? If so, how?

Is there something about your image of God that He might want you to rethink?

How does your image of God help you grow closer to Him?

What do you “need” from God today? How is that need different from what you needed earlier in your life?

Anyone who has been married long will know that over time, as we come to know our husband or wife better, our understanding and image of our spouse changes. The same could be said for long-standing friendships. It has been said that intimacy is an increasing shared knowledge of each other. 

So also, as we grow in our relationship with Jesus and with God, our image of God will naturally change. This is not to say that God is changing, only that my understanding of God is changing. 

Imagine taking a hike and seeing a waterfall in the distance. As you get closer to the falls, the image of the falls gets clearer. You start to see more detail, and eventually you not only see the waterfall, you hear its roar. You feel its spray. You experience the waterfall. 

Similarly, as we walk with God, as we journey with, and grow closer to God, we see more and experience more of Him. It is important to realize that our image of God will not grow by simply learning more about Him. 

Only by drawing closer to God will we see Him differently and more clearly. Our image of ourselves also changes as we continue our journey with God—and this too affects how we see God. 

We all hold an image of ourselves that reflects our desires and needs, what we think of ourselves, and how we view our lives. As this self-image changes, we may experience God differently. 

A child’s image of their parent changes as the child grows and as a result, the relationship between child and parent changes. So too, as we grow and mature, our image and relationship with God will grow and change. This is a normal and healthy process.