One of the biggest mistakes I ever made was that I assumed that God was and only could be what I wanted him to be. But I’ve slowly come to realize that not only is this assumption far from the truth, but there has to be a reason why I dumbed down my view of God and convinced myself he can only operate within the certain parameters that I set. So I began to ask myself: What is my box made of? I think it was made of familiarity - being too comfortable where I was - and the misunderstandings I had of the true love of the father.

The understanding I had of Jesus was that he was a force that I had no way to tangibly connect with. I believed he was judging my every decision, I thought I had to do everything I could just to please him and reach this imaginary threshold that would guarantee my "golden ticket" into heaven. I grew up in a family that always went to church and has been involved with it ever since my parents were kids. I knew the songs, I knew how to dress the dress and talk the talk, but I didn't know God. I put God in a box.

I remember reading stories in the Bible as a child where God turned rivers red, made cities crumble, or healed sickness and disease, but I always thought those were just things of the past. God doesn’t do that anymore, we’re too civilized for that. I even questioned if things like that could really be from Him. I was telling God he couldn't heal or show his power in a different way than I was used to because I was only familiar with the little God in my box. He could maybe answer a prayer here or there or make your cold get better a bit faster (even that was a stretch for me), but those crazy miracles from the Bible couldn’t be real. I put God in a box.

For a long time, it was comfortable for my relationship with God to stay steady, and it was easy to not have to learn more about who He was to me. I was relaxed and accepted that I could keep the God I liked and that He was obligated to stay as human as I wanted Him to be. I was allowing comfort to lull me into a stagnant relationship with Him. I didn't want to believe there was more because I was scared. I put God in a box.

It was not until the beginning of high school that I met this God that I had been missing. I went from seeing him as a lawyer-like man who wanted control to an omnipotent being who wants to know me: my personal life, my stories, my heart. He wants to love me. He became my counselor and really good friend. He's always been there and will never leave, even when I fall down or get pulled away. God started to break part of my box.

The summer between my 8th and 9th grade years I traveled to Brazil for two weeks with an organization know as Global Awakening on their Youth Power Invasion trip. Within the first twenty four hours of being there I saw a man who had been paralyzed for his entire life stand up and walk out of his wheelchair. I saw broken bones and metal implants just disappear, with x-rays to prove it! Over those few weeks and the trips to follow, I saw God heal thousands, some even through me and my simple prayers. I finally realized my ignorance of all that He is capable of. God broke another part of my box.

It took a lot of time and I am still stretching myself and learning to be open to whatever God wants to do. But one thing I have come to realize is that Christ loves to do his own thing and He will do what it takes to get your attention, or even just to show how much he cares and loves each one of us. He is breaking my box!

God is in everyone and he can do anything. We just need to be willing to see that and choose to go on the journey. No more boxes, no more chains, it’s time to find the freedom that comes with letting God out of your box.