We are all born with a belief in God. It may not have a name or a face.
We may not even see it as God. But it is there.
It is the sense that comes over us as we stare into the starlit sky or
watch the last fiery rays of an evening sunset. It is the morning
shiver as we wake on a beautiful day and smell a richness in the air
that we know and love from somewhere we can't quite recall. It is the
mystery behind the beginning of time and beyond the limits of space. It
is a sense of otherness that brings alive something deep in our hearts.
Some people will tell you that there is no God. They will claim that
God is a crutch for people who can't face reality, a fairy tale for
people who need myths in their lives. They will argue for rational
explanations of the origin of the universe and scientific explanations
of the perfect movements of nature. They will point to evil and
injustice in the world, and cite examples of religion being used to
start wars or to hurt people of different beliefs.
You cannot argue with these people, nor should you. These are the
people the Chinese philosopher Chuang Tzu spoke about when he said, "A
frog in a well cannot be talked to about the sea."
If you have any sense of the mystery of the universe around you, you
are hearing the murmur of the sea. Your task is to leave the well, to
step out into the sun, and to set out for the sea. Leave the arguing to
those who wish to discuss the size and shape of the walls that close
them in.
If you hear the call of the distant sea, do not be turned away by the
naivetés and contradictions of the beliefs around you. There are
many paths, and the sea looks different from each of them. Your task is
not to judge the paths of others, but to find a path that will lead you
ever closer to the murmurings that you hear in your heart.
Begin by accepting where you are.
We all have special gifts of character. Some of us are blessed with
compassion; others, laughter; others, a power of self-discipline. Some
of us are filled with the beauty of people, others with the beauty of
nature. Some of us have a keen sense of the injustices in life; others
are drawn to celebrate the goodness around us.
These are all starting points, because they are all places of belief.
You must find the gift that you have - the source of your belief - and
discover a way to cultivate that gift.
If you come upon a tradition that seems to give voice to the music of
your spirit, do not be afraid to follow. Religious traditions exist
because they give voice to fundamental Spiritual truths that many
people share.
They offer a path to the sea that has been taken before, and their
footsteps are well marked for those who choose to follow.
If you find a tradition that engages your spirit, give yourself to it
with your whole heart. Read its texts. Participate in its rituals.
Give yourself over to its ways of spiritual formation.
If, however, you find that your faith in God is something silent and
personal to be found in the solitude of your own heart, do not be
afraid to embark upon that path. Seek out the wisdom of the mystics and
the visionaries who met their God face to face, and cultivate the
habits of the heart that will allow you to grow closer to the
experience of God every day.
Spiritual growth is honed and perfected only through practice. Like an
instrument, it must be played. Like a path, it must be walked. Whether
through prayer or meditation or worship or good works, you must move
yourself in the direction of spiritual betterment. Spiritual
understanding never becomes deep unless you subject yourself to the
spiritual discipline of practicing your belief.
There will be times when you feel you have lost your way. You will be
too tired to go on, or other things will seem more important. Maybe you
will start to feel that your belief was just a momentary enthusiasm.
Maybe you will feel a growing meanness of spirit. Maybe you just won't
care.
Don't be too hard on yourself when this happens. Your whole life is a
spiritual journey, and you will find yourself in arid lands as well as
lands rich in possibility. Just be certain to continue to push forward.
A few more steps and you will once again hear the call of the great
waters.
Most of all, have faith in your path. Follow it as you can; change it
if you must. But do not give up the search for the sea. As you get
closer, the murmur will get louder, and your certainty of its existence
will grow. You may not find yourself on the path you expected, but you
will be on a path nevertheless.
Do not refuse to seek God because you cannot find the one truth. We
live in a pluralistic world, and only the most hardheaded refuse to
accept the fact that truth - whether spiritual, cultural,
political, or otherwise - is given to different people in different
ways.
Find the path that glows like a sunlit day, rich in remembered scents
and promises. Then follow it. Only a fool refuses to walk in the
sunlight because he cannot see the shape of the sun.
~ By
Kent Nerburn
