Looking for Love

Book Review – The Misunderstood God

When I read the ‘The Shack’ it confirmed some of the ideals I had come to believe through my conversations with God. It also opened my eyes to several new beliefs and thoughts. It was a wonderful book and I couldn’t put it down until I had finished it. It also had made me hungry for more of the truth about God’s love and it’s role in our relationship with Him.

The publisher of ‘The Shack’, Windblown Media had several other books listed on their web site and I had to read them all. So started my journey on becoming a Free Believer. All the books published by Windblown are excellent and I would recommend them all.

The latest book from Windblown is no exception. ‘The Misunderstood God’ (TMG) by Darin Hufford is an excellent look into God’s love for us. What my conversations with God and the Shack began to show me as to God’s love for me, TMG took several steps further. In this book Darin explores God’s love through God’s own definition of love as found in 1 Corinthians 13.

Before I had read TMG I had used an exercise which Darin presented in my own life and in the Recovery gathering that I host. The exercise is to use the verses found in 1 Cor. 13:4-7 and replace the words love with God. In our group we used this exercise using our own names and then the name Jesus in place of the word love. It can really show you where you lack and give you insight into how Jesus loved.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Cor 13:4-7 (NIV)

Darin uses God in place of the word love and uses the same descriptions to show us God’s love for us through real dealings with real people. He shows us how the Institutional Church and religion have distorted how God really loves us. Darin does this using humor, reality and lives as examples.

God doesn’t turn His back on us, He doesn’t get impatient with us, He isn’t easily angered, and the list goes on. So if you feel something is missing in your relationship with God and Jesus, read this book. Get a new understanding of how God loves us, how he wants to relate to us and start living free from the guilt of the religion and doctrines that may have clouded you view of our Father. You just may find you’ve been looking for love in all the wrong places.