Finding God Amidst the Cracks of Life
There's an old story about a fish who didn’t believe in water. Everyone kept talking about water but he insisted he’d never seen such a thing. “You think you don’t see it” an older, wiser fish told him, “but it’s all around you at all times. It’s even inside you. And without it, you couldn’t survive.”
God is much like that. He’s everywhere—always and without fail, present in every moment and every situation.
In the Bible, Jesus addressed this question regarding the kingdom of God:
“Once the Pharisees asked him when the kingdom of God was coming. [He answered,] ‘The coming of the kingdom of God will not occur with signs that can be observed. Nor will people say, ‘Here it is’ or ‘There it is.’ For the kingdom of God is in your midst.'”
God isn’t something you can point to or find in a specific place. He’s all around, even within us, and His presence is constant.
Why Do We Miss What's in Plain Sight?
But why do so many of us miss what's right in front of our eyes? Many people think of God as a distant figure, detached and aloof, removed from the human experience. This doesn’t align with the divine love and closeness illustrated in the Bible:
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”
Jesus took on human form to bridge the gap between heaven and earth, to be one with us, and to fill the void left by our belief in a distant deity. His actions and teachings show God's love and willingness to be present:
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.’”
Love is a manifestation of God’s presence, and it’s evident in our relationships with others. God’s love calls us to consider how we can reflect this love in a world that often doesn’t have it.
Inviting God into Your Life
But where can we find this God, why is He sometimes absent in our lives? One path to finding Him is through the practice of contemplation and meditation. These practices give us the space to hear God's voice in the silence:
To be still and know that I Am.
The Trappist monk Thomas Keating said, “Silence is God's first language; all else is a poor translation.” This speaks to the importance of cultivating a quiet, receptive mindset to hear the divine whispers:
Contemplative prayer, often referred to as lectio divina, opens the door to a spiritual vision—a seeing without seeing and a knowing without knowing.
In moments of quiet contemplation, we might find God in the stillness, the beauty of nature, or even in the everyday moments we often overlook. God’s love is most evident in these quiet, meditative spaces.
A Call to Reflective Action
God’s love inspires us to action. We should strive to be the hands and feet of Christ, doing our best to reflect his love in this world. This means helping those in need, practicing compassion, and living a life that exemplifies Christ's teachings:
We are called to do unto others as we would have them do unto us. Setting the example and helping “the least of these” is a direct reflection of God’s charity, kindness, and mercy.
Reflective action aligns with God's teachings and serves as a way to embody the divine presence in our lives.
A Call to Reflection and Action
If you're still searching for God, the invitation is simple: slow down, quiet yourself, and cultivate a space for contemplation. God is always there, waiting in the silence:
“And do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Embrace the stillness, the quiet, and discover the divine presence that is all around us. With God, all things are possible.