“my God is greater”

I got this tattooed on my forearm a few weeks ago (it is in white ink if you were wondering). This way, I see it throughout most of my day. It is such a simple and powerful statement. Everyone might not enjoy it as much as I do, and that is OK. I got it for me, not for you. But I want to explain why it is such a powerful statement.

“My God is greater” is my daily reminder that God is greater than everything, no matter how big or small. He is greater than my personal struggles. He is greater than the evil we face in this world, and He is greater than we could ever imagine.

For me, it is an open-ended sentence with an interchangeable beginning and end.

Cover up “my,” and you are left with God is greater.

He is my God. He is my best friend. My God is greater. But he is also your God. He is personal and mutual all at the same time. God is greater. He is for everyone!

What is he greater than? Everything. Make it want you want.

God is greater than (insert blank).

God is greater than my bad day.

God is greater than poverty.

God is greater than ISIS.

God is greater than my fears.

God is greater than my circumstances.

It is a blanket statement, and an awesome reminder during a struggle. This statement is overflowing with hope, courage and certainty.

I looked up some of the times that God was referred to being “greater than” in some form or fashion in the bible and the list was endless.

But here are some of my favorites:

God is greater than our understanding.

Job 36:26: "Look, God is greater than we can understand. His years cannot be counted."

God’s love for us is the greatest love we could ever know.

John 15:13: "There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends."

God is greater than our feelings.

1 John 3:20: "Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and He knows everything."

God is so big, and His promises are so real.

Hebrews 6:13: “For example, there was God's promise to Abraham. Since there was no one greater to swear by, God took an oath in His own name”

The Holy Spirit (God) within us is greater than the evil of this world.

1 John 4:4: “But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.”

God’s grace is greater than our faults.

Romans 5:17: “For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.” (Saved by grace, through faith alone. Ephesians 2:8)

It is easy to think that we live in some of the darkest and scariest times, but if you study the bible you will realize that we do not.

God once wiped out the entire human population (minus eight people) because the world was so dark and grim, filled with hatred and wicked behavior.

The entire Old Testament is actually a story of repeating behavior. A perfect world with the fall of humanity, and how humans are inevitably corrupt without God’s grace. It is a tale of our constant greed and destruction. There are stories of slaughter, slavery, betrayal and evil beyond belief. But then comes the New Testament, a story of hope and restoration. Everything we experience today is just history on repeat. We do not live in the darkest times because there is grace for us, and we know how the story ends. God is greater.