“And now they’re back in the sin business again, manufacturing god-images they can use, Religion customized to taste. Professionals see to it: Anything you want in a god you can get.” (Hosea 13:1-3 MSG)
Let’s say you are reading reviews online for a product you really want to buy. You are likely to be swayed by the reviews that affirm your preconceptions. This tendency is called confirmation bias. The inclination to believe what we want to believe makes us blind to the negative qualities of those we love and to the positive traits of our enemies. Confirmation bias can lead to distorted thinking and irrational behavior.
Our beliefs about God are often influenced by our expectations. We want a god who brings comfort, order, healing, contentment, security, peace, and prosperity. We don’t want a god who is too demanding, who makes us uncomfortable, or whose standards require us to reevaluate our dreams.
This is why conservatives and liberals are able to interpret Bible verses to conform to their preexisting ideas. More often than not, we assume that God wants what we want. We ignore directions, signs, and intuitions that point us away from our preconceived notions. We customize God to fit our presumptions instead of shaping our beliefs according to His vision.
Lord, we are imperfect beings with skewed ideas. We filter truth through our contorted human perceptions. Please correct our vision, so that we may understand You and have an authentic relationship with You.
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