Spiritual Pulse of St. John’s

As a certified spiritual director, mentor, and guide for over 20 years, blessed to walk the journey with men and women of many faith beliefs and personal persuasions, I have been amazed by how people discover a God of their understanding. It becomes very special and unique to the person and generally develops in phases over a lifetime.

Most of us started in our early years of development with an understanding of God taught by our parents, teachers, pastors, and even friends.

As we mature into adulthood, questions and confusions arise. Usually, this came out of an inability to have a felt experience of God, or perhaps we were abused or discounted by a person or institution. Because of this, we either abandon everything learned or seek to clarify this conundrum. We eventually arrive at our truth. The seeking is a God-gift, freely given but not easy to navigate.

There is always hope. We eventually move from the black-and-white approach of believing or not believing to a posture of acceptance on faith.

Yes—acceptance on faith. That can be a monumental challenge!

In the process, we doubt, analyze, become angry, and perhaps take the risk of denying what Thomas Merton defines as our true self. It is helpful to have a Spiritual Director guiding us through this journey of discovery.

As mentioned earlier, the concept is very unique and individual. Some people are not willing to accept the challenges of change. But it is worth the effort. There is no prediction of the outcome; however, many spiritual writers describe the lifetime benefits. There is no prediction of how the Mystery will be defined.