“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” —A.W. Tozer
When I was in college, I read the preceding quote from the theologian/philosopher A.W. Tozer. The substance was so profound I have never forgotten its message almost 15 years later. It continues to spring up again and again in my mind on a regular basis.
I realize spirituality can be a very touchy topic that arouses countless strong opinions, intellectual arguments, and far too many unspeakable emotional wounds. Nevertheless, I believe the quote above holds true. There is nothing more central to our lives than our understanding of spirituality. And it is a conversation we ought to engage in far more often than we do.
Whether we have intentionally pursued a personal spirituality or not, our beliefs have a profound impact on our lives. Consciously or subconsciously, it influences us in countless ways. Consider how it impacts our understanding of…
- Ourselves. Does God care about me? Is He mad at me or pleased with me? If there is no God, who am I? And where did I orginate?
- Others. Are all lives equal? If so, on what basis? What is my responsibility to care for others?
- Minimalism. If we have removed the pursuit of worldly possessions from our affections, with what will we replace it?
- The world around us. In what specific ways should we care about the world and the environment around us? Is our motivation in this regard more significant than survival of our species? And if so, how do we as humans responsibly interact with it?
- Morality. Is there a moral set of truth for the universe established from a higher power? Or is morality determined by each individual?
- Evil. What am I to understand about the evil and suffering in the world? Is it there for a reason? To what extent should I try to counteract it?
- Money. Does the universe give money/status to some and not others? Or is money/status earned by the individual? What should I do with it when I obtain it? Do I hold any responsibility to care for those with less?
- Afterlife. Is there life after death? Is death something to be feared or welcomed? And either way, how should I be preparing for it today?
No doubt, our understanding of spirituality carries great influence on our lives. For that reason, one of the most significant journeys we can ever embark upon is the exploration of it.
I understand fully this community is made up of readers from every imaginable religious/non-religious background. I am so very thankful for that reality. And I should be quick to mention this post is not an endorsement of any specific religion. Instead, my hope is only to prompt each of us to further consider the role of spirituality in our everyday lives. And cause us to joyfully embrace the journey rather than shy away from it.
Because of the important role it plays, you will never regret any time spent furthering your understanding of the Universe. Whether you have never tried, have tried but given up, or spend time everyday seeking one specific God, let me offer seven beginning steps that are central to our personal exploration of spirituality.
A Beginner’s Guide to Exploring Spirituality
1. Respect those that have gone before. The quest to understand spirituality is as old as humanity itself. Billions have gone before and have spent countless hours seeking spirituality. Don‘t overlook their efforts. Consider their findings and their writings—even those outside the religion you have become accustomed to.
2. Your journey must be your own. You alone must be the decision-maker for your view of God. You should not blindly accept the teachings of another (even your closest mentor or parent). Your heart must ring true and your spirit must rejoice in your spirituality—or it is worthless.
3. Start right where you are. We all have special gifts of character: compassion, laughter, self-discipline, love, etc. Use them as your starting point. Are you facing a trial in life (disease, loss, rejection)? Use it as motivation to further pursue your understanding of spirituality. Lao-tzu once said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” He was right in every regard. Start your journey with whatever first step makes the most sense to you.
4. Ask God for help. By this I mean, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by making the request. If there is a God, He may answer your prayer. And if there is no God, the process of making the request will still work to help focus your senses and desire.
5. Practice, practice, practice. Like everything else in life, spiritual growth is mastered through practice. If you don’t find your answers after your first few steps, take some more in a different direction. It will require time, effort, and energy. But given its influence on our lives, it is always worth the effort in the end.
6. Don’t be afraid of unanswered questions. Although leaving questions unanswered may sound contrary to the goal of the pursuit, we should not be afraid of them. These unanswered questions will cause some to forever abandon the journey. And while our spirituality should make sense of our heart‘s deepest questions, it would seem unreasonable to believe our minds could successfully fathom all the mysteries of the universe.
7. Be wary of “everyone is right” thinking. If there is no God, there is no God. If there is a God, He is something specific. Personally, I am skeptical of the thinking that says God can change from one person to another—that philosophy crumbles under the weight of its own logic. God is who God is. And it‘s our responsibility to successfully find Him.
Again, I realize fully this journey is going to look different for every single one of us. Spirituality is a highly personal matter and will likely result in different outcomes. This is not a post that endorses any specific religion. It is simply a post of encouragement and a reminder this journey is important.
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I do not typically moderate comments too closely (unless they turn offensive). But I might make a suggestion for this post. In the comments below, I would be interested to hear about your personal journey toward spirituality. How did it begin? And how did you arrive at your understanding? I think this conversation will be more helpful and encouraging than a specific argument made for choosing your view.
Image: overgraeme
I’ve lived with Anxiety and Depression for over 35 years and it’s greatly impacted my professional and personal life. I’m just coming out of another Depressive Episode and I’m searching for some kind of Spiritual Life. I’m asking the Universe what’s it’s trying to tell me but I’m not sure.
I’ve looked at lots of major Religions inc Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, BaH’ai, Buddhism etc but can’t subscribe to any one as I feel that they are all man made and based on Fear.
I like to believe that there is a God or something outside of me and this World, but don’t really know what that is.
I think I can see ‘Spirit’ in Nature, Animals, People, Children, Art, Music and Sport.
I do pray, to something? And do give Gratitude for my blessings
I suppose I’m desperate to find a Spiritual Home and Family where I can belong.
Any advice/replies welcome. Thank you x
I want to be a spiretural
I am currently beginning the process of recovery from addiction. The Twelve Steps mention a “God of my understanding,” but I’m having difficulty with that so I’m starting here. The basics, so to speak. Your post was very well written and I’m truly appreciative.
I came across this site and your comment accidentally, however we learn in our spiritual quest there are no accidents. I am also in 12 step recovery for addiction. A God of my understanding has grown in depth with my sobriety. I think that line is so powerful, it opened the door to exploring God within myself and not someone else’s beliefs and experiences. My spiritual journey began with believing there was something more powerful than me, the hardest thing for an addict to accept.
Congratulations on your recovery. I’m in recovery as well. I consider myself blessed to have found a God of my understanding. I’ve learned some things about my Higher Power. One is that my perception of God was off the mark. Now that I have some insight into His Nature, I’m a lot closer to Him. Keep an open mind. You’re on the right path.
I found this post very helpful. Spirituality is the only way to get love and fulfillment. Our life is very busy things like career, desires and responsibilities. We never get time to glance back and see who we are. Spirituality drives us towards ultimate purpose of life and truth.
Hi
I I was raised in church. And I’ve always believed that there was something more than the teachings in the Bible and that I received in church. I’ve been inquiring about true spirituality and would really love to know more how to find out more about it and which type is right for me.
Hi sabiu, nice knowing you here.
With that mentality you will be fine, you will not give up, you won’t be able to. That’s beautiful
I grew up thinking God was the big man upstairs and that we serve God by serving others. Then my life crumbled and my awareness and spiritual understanding started to arise. Understanding that this journey was impacted by my actions. My actions and choices created my disharmony. In order to have harmony and peace my learning needed to deepen and the peace within had to mature. The expectation of others is not what we focus on but we understand who others are but we understand our mission is to be the I AM. Not to say we no longer serve others but we serve love to ourselves and others. Love should not create rules to confine others but we must show how we love by how we discipline and love ourselves to then grace others with this same love. Being the change we want to see creates love around us and within us. We don’t have to fit in but learning to stick out because we know we can’t fit into a box that this world creates. Change is not meant to be confined but it’s meant to soar to greater heights of existence…which creates our awareness
Your comment really resonated with me. Thanks for posting it.