Spiritual directors like to say that we find God in everything and everywhere, which means that each of us experiences God's power and Spirit in some way. An important aspect of spiritual direction is helping people clarify their own knowledge of the sacred.
language for god
Here are some of the language people use to describe how they experience God, even though they may not yet label it as a God experience.
I've found that every time I go for a run, my mind clears and I gain insight into whatever problem I'm working on. When my baby smiles and looks straight into my eyes, I truly melt and feel incredibly alive. When I saw the pictures of the destruction caused by the earthquake, something made me appreciate my life even more. As I looked out over the Grand Canyon, I felt a sense of oneness with the universe. I sang all the way home, grateful for the good report from the doctor. Every time I raise my voice against injustice, I feel a loving presence. My love for my partner is beyond my comprehension. It feels eternal.
None of these accounts mention God, but each describes what can be considered an experience of God.
language problem
People today are wary of using too much religious language, and for good reason. They may have been abused by people who hurt them in the name of God. They may feel so humbled by their experience of an unseen reality that they feel unqualified to call it a divine experience. Our religious language is too small to adequately express some of these experiences. that's ok. It is not necessary to always invoke the name of God to speak of the holy.
So where should we look?
We find God in the places in our lives where we experience:
deep love
longing
transcendence
insight
life
In front of you
thanks
patience
Kindness
joy
peace
The list goes on and on, but you get the idea. When we pay attention to God's attributes, we develop “eyes to see and ears to hear” where God's Spirit is moving in the world.
For more information about knowing God and how to help others discover Him, see Inline Your Ear: Cultivating Spiritual Awakening in Congregations by Chad Abbott and Teresa Bryce (Fortress Publishing). Please.
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