Many people have a distorted view of God. Sandra Wilson classified five important misconceptions people often hold about the nature of God. They are usually arrived at through some personal trial or struggle that has caused 
pain or has made life difficult or disappointing. Sandra says that there are those who subscribe to the idea of a “cruel and capricious God.” He is just playing with us, and like little boys, enjoys tearing the wings off of flies. Some hold to a demanding and unforgiving God. They are guilt ridden and unable to accept forgiveness or to forgive themselves. There is also the selective and unfair God. God is not cruel, capricious, demanding, and unforgiving with all people, just with them. I guess we all might ask “why me, God?” sometimes. Then there’s the distant and unavailable God. This is usually the result of chronic parental unavailability or absence. Finally, there is the kind but confused God. He really doesn’t know what to do. He might be all good, but he’s certainly not all knowing and all powerful.
Curt Cloninger’s videos creatively presents many different misconceptions of God. He calls them, “God-views:” See him at http://www.creativesharks.com/curt_cloninger/Videos.html He puts flesh and blood to these deity distortions. He portrays the Sheriff God, the Butler God, the Party God, the Cosmic Mechanic God, the God in a Box, and finally the Geriatric God (who falls asleep while working a crossword puzzle and trying to think of a three-letter word for deity!).
A. W. Tozer observed, “Throughout the ages, that question has been asked by more people than any other. Our little children are only a few years old when they come in their innocent simplicity and inquire of us, ‘What is God like?’ Philip the apostle asked it for himself and for all mankind: ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.’ (John 14:8). Philosophers repeatedly have asked the question. Religionists and thinkers have wrestled with it for millenniums.” Jesus answer to Philip was “if you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the Father.” We must not miss the supreme revelation of God. John 1:18 tells us that “no man has ever seen God.” But it goes on to say “but the one and only Son of God, Jesus, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made Him known.” When we try to understand what God is like we should study Jesus. Know Jesus, Know God!