• Starting today, I will no longer believe in G-d!
    By The Contemplative Bard
    June 3, 2025

    Instead, I will start believing G-d!

    It is amazing how a simple preposition ("in"), when you add or remove it, can have a huge transformative impact in one's point of view (and possibly in one's life). (I have to use first person in this entry because this is my personal meditation and testimony). All my life, I thought I believed in G-d and assumed that was enough and I qualify as a Christian for having professed a creed that affirms that fact. But wait, as the NLSS mentor pointed out, even satan himself believes in G-d, right? What makes me different if even the devil believes in the same thing that I do? The mentor briefly explained that believing G-d is not just believing that he exists but it is doing always what He said or commanded to us. Brushing aside the wicked grin of the mentor (for the "gotcha" moment 😇 ), it made me think deeply and rendered me sleepless for 2 nights pondering on its implication in my spiritual journey.

    My mind searched for context to examine the difference between these 2 statements. Off the bat, 3 characters in the Scriptures came to mind that believed G-d, and not just in believed in Him or His existence. Apostle Peter got out of the boat on open seas despite the possibility of drowning, when Christ asked him to do so (Matthew 14:29-31). Moses did not hesitate and believed G-d's instruction to moved on to the Red Sea when the pharaoh's soldiers were pursuing them. They could have drowned by the Sea but it parted as G-d promised and they were able to cross safely (Exodus 14:15-16). On the contrary, many Israelites only believed in G-d; when they got bored waiting for Moses from Mt. Sinai, they started worshipping idols and Taurean deities. The World Mother, Master Mary, believed G-d and said yes to conceive the Master J in spite of the fact that it possibly can ruin her life in the cultural context of their time period.

    On the side of Eastern spiritual traditions, this reminded me of a story in the classic book, "Autobiography of a Yogi", where Babaji instructed a man to jump off the cliff. Without hesitation, the man did jump and died. But his guru resurrected him and accepted him as being ready for discipleship. In their tradition, they equate their guru with G-d; he believed what G-d instructed him.

    Believing G-d is important in the new life in the Spirit because for the first time in our life, we are surrendering our Kingship over our life to the Kingship of Christ within us. Christ is taking over our personality; he takes on the driver's seat. We are giving Christ the authority over all areas of our life. But to do that, we need a clear communication line so that we know what Christ wills for us and we can act on it. The communication line or bridge, the spiritual WIFI based on my own creative imagining, is the Holy Spirit.

    How do I believe G-d?

    Believing in G-d is simply knowing that He exists, but I move on with my daily life and do things and manage my affairs my way. I go attend worship services (like a Sunday tea party of bored people) and after that, life moves on as usual my way and in the way of the world.

    When I believe G-d, it means I know and follow His Will as reference point on how I live and steer my life. For general meaning, purpose, direction, and ethical guidelines, I can rely to believe G-d's written words contained in the Scriptures. I don't simply read, but I believe and take His words seriously. Like, when I pray for some material benefits and nothing materialized, I have to believe his words in 1 John 3:22. I will not get something for nothing; I have to do my part in the deal - that is keeping his commandments first!

    The 2nd component of believing G-d is knowing His Will directly pertaining to our personal context, or even of our community or of other people (intercessory). And this is the beauty of the Charismatic renewal movement. It revives the promise of the Pentecost in the modern era. It revived the original spirit but corrected the flaws of gnosticism. Through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, we will receive gifts ("charisma", not the gifts mentioned by Isaiah) to help us navigate our new life in the Spirit, as well as help others in our community, and the body of Christ as a whole.

    The use of the gift of prophecy to directly know the Will of G-d for us so that we can truly believe G-d's plan for our life can sometimes be contentious issue for the Church. But I hope this is changing in the near future.

    In the dark history of the past, it was demonized as a heresy and lumped together with gnosis (directly perceived Divine knowledge). St. Joan of Arc was burned at the stake for claiming to be acting on Divine guidance and hearing voices inside her head coming from G-d. (Although the Church retracted and canonized her as Saint later on). St. Theresa of Avila's life (as well as countless Saints) were made difficult also due to their claim of hearing G-d's message directly. It appears many in the Church believes that Divine revelation has stopped with the physical death of the apostles. If that is true, then that is not good for the Church or the Body of Christ. If the Body is indeed alive and the Holy Spirit is guiding it up to this day, then Divine revelation - whether personal, communal, or Church-wide, should be continuing and vibrant.

    This is where I admire Pope Francis. While his leadership style before is peculiar, but he managed to drop the witch hunt for heresy in other spiritual traditions. He called for unity of faiths and called on "clericalism" (similar to "sacerdotalism") as an enemy of synodality. That is the rigidity and authoritarianism of the clergy or magisterium on doctrines which prevent the full participation and listening capability of the laity in the Church life.

    A quick look in the past and going forward with my spiritual journey

    I was blessed with powerful and divinely inspired mentors in my spiritual journey. My first ever LSS was in year 1986, and Bro. Rey was a powerful and passionate mentor, just like the present one. He led the 2-day program as the lone resource person. It was memorable for me because it revolutionized my life and officially kicked-off my spiritual journey to a good start. I heard the concept of "Theosis" (John 10:34; Psalm 82:6; Matthew 5:48) for the first time as the goal of Christian life or Discipleship. He set the bar of Christian life so high but achievable that it makes me aspire to reach that goal. No, I did not reach that goal yet! 😁 But as I journey through my youth, I experienced darkness too, but it is a necessary phase so that through it that I can appreciate the Light. It is also through Bro. Rey that I learned about Christian centering prayer and meditation. He stressed the importance of prayer life and recommended a "tithe" of our day (10% of our time) be offererd to G-d. That is roughly 2.4 hours a day. I have no clue how to use up that time (1 cycle of Rosary is less than half the time) so I experimented on contemplative prayer techniques. That lead me to explore different contemplative technologies from other spiritual traditions as well - both Western and Eastern.

    I have participated in many other Christian initiation program (which are all mediocre, to my mind), but nothing compares to that first one. Until this year. I feel I'm entering a new renaissance of my spiritual life - a second wind after my last NLSS this year. Although the spiritual call started early in 2024 but culminated this year.

    "Believing G-d is not the same as believing in G-d" is the consciousness trigger. When confronted with complicated issues with many choices or If I'm in a cross-road, that is the time I pause, dive deep, and listen to G-d for His will and guidance. But this time, I will try a complete surrender each day (apart from my meditation time), and will be relying primarily on G-d's Will so I can truly believe G-d's word and power.

    A Systems Approach to Believing G-d

    While writing this blog entry, some ideas suddenly popped up from my consciousness. For whatever this is worth, I'm sharing it here in .png form. I hope it can be of help to those who need it.



    Experiential styles of connecting with G-d

    I feel the enthusiastic style (charismatic) should also be carried by the Christocentric meditation group, apart from their core approach which is the mystical (contemplative/ meditative). They complement each other. The sacramental is being supported right now and I believe it should be core too, soon, as they develop the competency and hopefully, the faculty (Holy Orders is not off the table). The Holy Eucharist can be solemnly celebrated by separating the other experiential styles and not integrating them in one shot. Praise & enthusiastic worship can be done before or after the Holy Eucharist. Although in a post-Christian era that is soon coming, this may not be practicable since Christians will be back into small group formations, just like the time when the Christian movement started 2,000 years ago. Being discreet and not getting public attention will be necessary.

    I believe that the antidote to growth of the "culture of death" and the materialist-empiricist ideologies that are hostile to Truth and anything spiritual or metaphysical is the 'Experienceability' of G-d. Complex theology is debatable, but experience of the Divine is indisputable due to its transformative nature.




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    Image credits/sources:

    Fire of the Spirit vector by Vecteezy, https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/48066318-red-fire-logo

    "PNG Of People In Church", https://pluspng.com/png-of-people-in-church-9549.html

    Natural Character Development. (n.d.). The 3 Colors of Your Spirituality PowerPoint presentations and book images from The 3 Colors of Your Spirituality by Christian Schwarz (2009). Churchsmart Resources. Ohio, USA. . https://ncd.life/character/d/en/spirituality/artwork