As Christians, we chase God in a variety of ways, from listening to Sunday sermons to reading the Bible to joining Bible studies, praying, and meditating on God’s word. That’s exactly what Angie Smith refers to in the title of her new book, Chasing God, and she reveals a major truth she discovered in the pursuit: she wasn’t chasing to find and catch Him, which she thought at first, but rather to simply catch up with Him because He was already waiting for her.
Chasing God is a great book because of its personal, easy-to-read style. Smith isn’t just a writer. She’s someone with whom you become more closely acquainted every time you turn the page. You see that she’s far from perfect, and you’re almost sure to find some imperfection or stumbling block to which you can relate.
A Well-Rounded Background
Smith is the author of many other inspiring non-fiction books, like What Women Fear: Walking in Faith That Transforms, Mended: Pieces of a Life Made Whole and I Will Carry You: The Sacred Dance of Grief and Joy. She also wrote the heartwarming children’s book, Audrey Bunny.
Smith is not the only talented one in her family, as her husband, Todd Smith, is the lead singer of the Christian group Selah. Just as he touches fans with his inspired music, Smith combines personal experience and inspiration from God with her graduate degree in psychology to lead her readers to deep personal discoveries.
No Need to Chase God
The comforting message in this book is that we don’t have to chase God because He wants a relationship with us. No pursuit is necessary because He’s already there, waiting for us and ready to be active in our lives. Maybe that sounds too simple, but if it does, Smith seems to indicate that it’s because of our human perceptions and tendency to make things more complicated than they need to be. As she says, “We can’t comprehend the truth in all its wild simplicity so we create a version of Christianity that appeals more to our sensibilities.”
Chasing God is an empowering book because it shows you that, while you don’t have to try to catch your Creator, you should certainly take an active role and building up your relationship with Him. Instead of wasting time on the chase, you can get right to work on the building. Smith explains that you shouldn’t “wait for the miracle you think will make it clear.” Instead, she instructs readers to act boldly by “confess(ing) your belief and then act(ing) out of that determination.”
Not for Those Who Like Formulas
Of course, this book is not for everyone. Smith says it very plainly herself, “The goal of this book is not to present you with a formula for living out Christianity. It’s to offer my thoughts on the difference between looking for Him and looking at Him.”
If you’re looking for a simple formula or structured plan for finding God, you won’t discover it here. If that’s what you need, you’re better off getting a study Bible or an interactive daily reading and journal book like Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. Chasing God certainly gives you ideas and guidelines, based on Smith’s experience, but it also requires you to think for yourself, put together your own plan, and most important of all, take action.
Teaches You to Stop the Futile Chase
On the flip side, if you learn best from observing the experiences of others and then trying things out for yourself, you’ll get a lot out of Chasing God. It gives an intimate look at Smith’s life and her travels in faith. It’s not a sappy-sweet read, but rather a well-told story with an abundant dose of humor.
By the end, you’ll know exactly why Smith stopped chasing God and how she realized that following Him is the much more effective course of action for Christians. You’ll be inspired by her story, and you might just stop futilely chasing God, too.