To ask about God’s character is to ask about love itself. Many people wonder, “What is God really like?”—not as an idea or doctrine, but as a living presence. This question touches something deep in every soul that yearns to trust and be loved.
We begin by remembering that God has never hidden Himself from us. From the very beginning, He revealed His heart through creation, through the prophets, and most perfectly through His Son, Jesus Christ. When we look at Jesus—His compassion for the poor, His forgiveness of sinners, His patience with the weak—we see the very character of God made visible. As Jesus said, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).
The Scriptures paint a consistent picture of God’s heart. The Psalms call Him “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love” (Psalm 103:8). The prophets speak of His faithfulness even when His people turn away. The Gospels show us that this love is not distant—it walks among us, heals our wounds, and calls us home.
We also come to know God’s character through prayer and personal experience. As we open our hearts in silence or suffering, we begin to notice that His mercy is not only an idea—it is an encounter. The peace that gently settles in prayer, the forgiveness that lifts guilt, the strength that appears when we are weak—these are moments where God’s nature reveals itself to us personally.
To know God’s character, then, is not merely to study Him but to live with Him—to walk daily with Christ, to listen to His Word, and to let the Holy Spirit shape our hearts. The more we draw near, the more we discover that God is not cold or distant, but endlessly faithful, tender, and just.
May we never stop seeking to know the heart of God—not only through words, but through love. For to know Him truly is to become more like Him.
— Fr. John Matthew, for Christian Way
