None Like Him: 10 Ways God is Different From Us (and why that's a good thing) by Jen Wilkin // Book Review

Buckle your seat belts. This is going to be long. But for those of you who read to the end, it will be worth it!

This book was very good. Each chapter had things that would just jump out at me and really speak to me. A lot of her points boil down to trusting God, which is something I notice myself struggling with. I want to go through the book and share some of what spoke to me, but you should definitely get yourself a copy and read the whole thing!

The prologue is called "On Becoming a God-fearing Woman". Jen talks about what it really means to fear God.

"When we fear the Lord rightly, we do so not as those who are terrified of him...

When we fear God rightly, we recognize him for who he truly is: a God of no

limits, and therefore, utterly unlike anyone or anything we know. This

is the start of becoming wise."

Chapter One: Infinite - The God of No Limits

There were two sentences that stood out to me in this chapter. Jen is discussing how we were made to be image bearers (a theme I've been seeing a lot recently), but how we'd rather be God. She says,

"Designed to reflect his glory, we choose instead to rival it."

A few pages later she goes back to her theme of fearing God.

"Our limits teach us the fear of the Lord. They are reminders that

keep us from falsely believing that we can be like God."

Chapter Two: Incomprehensible - The God of Infinite Mystery

One of the subsections is entitled "Knowing In Part". Here, Jen details how we can only know God in part and never in whole.

"God is incomprehensible. This does not mean he is 

unknowable, but that he is unable to be fully known."

 Seems simple enough, but it seemed revolutionary when written in this way.

Chapter Three: Self-Existent - The God of Infinite Creativity

God has created everything that exists and it all is dependent on Him. Yet we worship the created above the Creator sometimes.

"When we look around at the created world, we ought to be moved

 to worship the One who made it. His hand in creation is unambiguous,

 to the point that to gaze on any part of it and think lofty thoughts

 of anything other than him is sheer madness."

Chapter Four: Self-Sufficient - The God of Infinite Provision

The chapter begins with an anecdote about the Energizer Bunny and humans' insatiable quest for unending energy and the ability to self-sustain ourselves. But we are unable to be self-sustaining and must rely on God. However, because He created everything (and is self-existent as we learned in the previous chapter), He is dependent on no one and no thing to sustain Him. He sustains Himself.

"Praise God that his plans do not rely on my faithfulness, 

his joy doesn't hinge on my good behavior, his glory doesn't

depend on my performance."

Chapter Five: Eternal - The God of Infinite Days

In the subsection called "Living in the Present", Jen Wilkin hit the nail on the head - at least for me. I have, at different times throughout my life, struggled with "living in the present". Sometimes it's wanting the future, other times it's hanging on to the good (and bad) times of the past. Jen's first two points deal with this and boy, do I need to hear this over and over again.

1. Let Go of the Past - Redeeming time requires letting the past

stay in the past.... The antidote for covetousness is always gratitude.

2. Let Go of the Future - Redeeming time requires letting the future

stay in the future.... We feed anxiety when we live in dread of the future.

Yet another one-line gem. Really think about this for a minute.

"Here is a remarkable truth: God is able to bring

eternal results from our time-bound efforts."

If you, like me, ever wonder what good you can do, or what difference could you possibly make, remember this. Write it down somewhere so you can go back and remind yourself of this "remarkable truth."

Chapter Six: Immutable - The God of Infinite Sameness

Confession // I HATE CHANGE!!!! I've gotten better, but I still do not approach change with anything remotely resembling a Biblical attitude. I need the reassurance that God does not change. I however, can and do change, and that's a VERY good thing.

"The worst part is that, when confronted with my own entrenched sin,

my immediate defense is to say, "That's just who I am. I can't change."

I can't change. Immutable.

Lie. Lie from the pit of hell. Whether uttered in hopelessness or defiance,

this statement is a lie. Only one person does not change, and that is God."

Chapter Seven: Omnipresent - The God of Infinite Place

I'm sure that you have experienced times when God feels far away. Believe me, I have. But when we believe that, we are believing a lie.

" And this is the challenge for the believer this side of eternity:

we cannot trust our perception of God's closeness to be accurate.

God is near whether we feel him or not."

Chapter Eight: Omniscient - The God of Infinite Knowledge

God is all-knowing and we aren't. We want to be, though. We feel secure with knowledge and worry about what we cannot know.

"And when you face uncertainty, and the answer to every nagging

question is an exasperated, "God knows", set aside exasperation

for assurance. God knows."

Chapter Nine: Omnipotent - The God of Infinite Power

Chapter Ten: Sovereign - The God of Infinite Rule

"Whereas power is the means to effect change, authority is the right 

to do so, on whatever terms the one with authority chooses."

The conclusion is entitled "Fearful and Wonderful". I love how Jen went full circle to her prologue here. She delves into Psalm 139 in an entirely new way. She shows how each of the ten attributes of God that were covered in her book are found in that Psalm. 

I liked how Jen tied each chapter to the one before it and even in a lot of cases, to all the other chapters as well. It was profound but easy to read and understand. 

And now the exciting part! If you are still here reading this, thank you! You have a chance to win a FREE copy of this book! Just send me an email at smylinggirly.blog@gmail.com  to enter. I will be drawing a random name on MAY 15 so make sure you email me before then to get in. 

Please read the following information as some of it has to do with the giveaway rules.

 

**Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. 

Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.
Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.**