Look around the internet. It won’t be long before you find how very many people are seeking God or interested in aspects of that searching. Online you can find anything from the heavyweight discussions at places like Parableman’s to lightweight to everything in between.
It fascinates me to find how perennial and burgeoning this topic can be. In my belief system it makes perfect sense. And that is often how I think the rational approach to God will track: lining up the ‘what-is’ with the ‘what is believed’.
I believe that God looks for opportunities to prove Himself, but He does it within His own parameters.
Many like to discuss the place that scripture and teaching have in the understanding of God. I don’t hear lots about revelation, at least not in a doctrinal sense, but this is something that I feel is vital- it has much to do with the Reformed view, though the orthodox might not embrace that idea.
But really, what is revelation but the manifestation of Grace?
I will return to this conversation, perhaps to update it under the fold.
To unmask myself, if I seem vague, I have to say that I am more than fascinated with the topic of God. I am sold out to the idea that God is our only answer in this world and that it is imperative that we get bona fide information about the searching and the finding.
People often love to play at religion. But in the view that there really is a God that is the most foolish and dangerous pastime I can think of. One’s eternity in the balance and thrown around like some cheap throwaway.
When the world comes crashing down around you- and not to overplay the drama, but we keep having just those types of situations- tell me, what do you have to deal with it? What do you have to heal others and to survive yourself?
People often lob their pleasant enjoyments to explain how meaningful life is; when the circumstances are good that outlines their interpretation of meaningful . They have friends, they have loved ones, they have good food and beautiful sunsets. But what about when that is stripped away? What constitutes your meaning, then?
When you are at the end of yourself, how then do you produce those constructs which define you?
Today, I am a bit contemplative in a melancholy way. To those who don’t believe that there is a devil, that there is no real sin, and that God is who knows what and who knows where….. you have no answers. You have no answers for why things are so bad for so many. Or the reason you have things so good.
You have no plan, but you sure are vocal about it. And you’ve taken up the pokers and prods to let those who are ‘unreasonably religious’ know that you are going to keep the lid on and turn the heat up.
I hope you do. And I hope that those who take their God seriously start to take you seriously, and understand that not all that calls itself good, beneficent and compassionate is indeed so. Perhaps to get serious about their faith, their praying, and their way of life.
Jesus had a retort:”Only God is good”.
Only God is good…..let us not tire in seeking Him out, and not retire before we have truly found all there is to find of Him.
Go ahead…call me a fanatic, that’s all right if it makes you feel better, and when you are done: just call me. we can talk about your ideas as well as what they are based on and where they are taking you…..OK?
I have just completed reading a few books by Gerald May, M.D. and believe you would find them of interest. One is “The Dark Night of the Soul” in which he uses his years of work as a psychiatrist to explore the work of St Theresa of Avila and St John of the Cross. It looks at the connection between darkness and spiritual growth. Both Theresa and St John of the Cross are not only saints in the Catholic Church, but also declared Doctors of the Church. While the direct writing of both of these people are available, many find them difficult, yet there is a real brilliance in their understanding of the walk to spirituality. Both are of the Carmalite Order and both are mystics. Our recently deceased Pope John Paul II spent a lot of time studing their work and I believe his prayer life was enhanced with their work as has mine.
For anyone trying to seek God, I could not recommend the study of these saints more highly. Thomas Merton who wrote many books and has world acclaim was also a student of these teachers and mystics.
God Bless
So glad you are here and commented:)
That book seems familiar- I may have read it years ago but I don’t remember ( time for refresher or I may just be confused!). You might be interested in my history- I studied to convert to the Catholic faith in my own search for God. I read the works of both Theresa of Avila and John of the Cross- I was strongly interested in the mystics. They were saints that hooked into God- I now believe that is for all of us.
I think an open and hungry heart is probably the most vital part, but reading the lives of saints is most edifying- I agree with your recommendation.
Our soul’s response to information differs with the individual, which is why I am not gung-ho on methodology, for some searching within their Catholic faith brings a deep devotion and experience of God, for me, it burdened me heavily with guilt for my sin and gave me no idea of the relief to be found in salvation.
My Presbyterian upbringing gave me a strong love for studying about God, in both the scriptures and adjuncts, but gave no indication of what real truth is ( already it was corrupted by deconstructionist ideals).
I found God through His Grace and through a childlike “taking a chance”. But I believe it was all His Grace at work and the outpouring of the time. I do not know what brings that about, still, even though I have studied Revival literature and history.
I appreciate the obvious love of God that you exhibit.
I am sorry to hear that you came to hear what the Catholic Church had to teach and left because what you heard was “it burdened me heavily with guilt for my sin and gave me no idea of the relief to be found in salvation.” To many who are involved with teaching the faith concentrate on the rules which are important but will only be viewed as worthwhile when one is on fire with love. It would be kind of like listing all the rules to be a first class spouse or first class parent before love was established. When someone is on fire with love, and one introduces the ways that this love can be made even more wonderful, it will find a wide audience. But salvation does require the cross on Friday before the salvation on Easter. Remember always that the road to salvation is a narrow one and we all love the wide highway with all our friends. I often think of the process of purifying gold and the hot furnace required for purification. My niece is a young gymnast and she leaves home early each morning for two hours of work, goes to school, and then works for a couple more hours at the gym before coming home to eat and do homework. Why would anyone do this? She loves gymnastics. She also loves God and with the schedule she keeps, she finds time for prayer which she views as essential as her training. Yet how few so called Christians pray like an athelete.
When I started down the road of faith, prayer was difficult for me. I had to learn how to pray and in some ways focused on the style and my words. I was so intent that I forgot to open my heart. An old woman in church one day seemed to be groaning and this of course cost me my concentration. I went over when she was done and asked her about prayer. She told me that she opened her heart, let her soul fly free, and waited for God to do everything else.
Over the years, I have been given many sheep in need to add to the flock and been blessed that they have gone out with the fire of that conversion to bring more to our church. I think that three things keep people away from the Catholic Church. One is bias which is real. One is simply having bad information. The third is most depressing to me and that is the life that too many Catholic lead by ignorance and by weakness. John Paul II was a gift because he taught so wonderfully and gave examples that would change the world if only we would follow. He legacy will be the fire he created in so many of our young people. I cannot begin to tell you the many youth that flock to this old man and allow me in humility to serve them not with the easy way, but with the actual teachings and the reasoning given to these teachings in the many letters and encycilicals from this wonderful priest, bishop, Pope, and yes, saint.
Looked up the review on ‘Dark Night of the Soul’, it looks good. Since it is a new release, I couldn’t possibly have read it- I haven’t read any religious-oriented books besides the Bible itself for awhile.
It sounds a little scary, though:”Explores the Connection Between Darkness and Spiritual Growth”;)
Can we hold to our love of Christ apart from our experience within our chosen church? That is always a challenge. For some, just expressing the question that way is unintelligible.
I think most agree that Pope John Paul 2 left a venerable memory.
I would not dare question the sincerity anyones faith, but if you haven’t been to this web site [www.energon.uklinux.net] it may be time to do so! Something very profound is spreading across the web. And it will affect everyone of faith? The first living and testable moral proof of God has been published. Very heavy stuff!