Spiritual Changes

An interesting question: What do you do when the god of the “belief system” from which you have been taught doesn’t line up with the God you have come to know personally?

A. You can reject the belief system entirely.
B. You can reject the God you’ve come to know…in which case the “Belief System” becomes your god.
C. You can attempt to force the God you’ve come to know to fit within the belief system.
D. You can appreciate the belief system for what it was in your life – a springboard for learning to know God…revel in the beauty of its symbolism, rather than take everything about it literally…and remain there or move on to something else knowing that the finite mind cannot begin to comprehend all that is God…God isn’t required to fit within the confines of any structure.

At different times in my life I’ve dabbled in all of the above. When I came to a major crisis of faith I was tempted to go with choice A, but I kept hearing a still small voice saying “don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.”

I also believe for a period in my life I ignored my intuition and went with choice B. Sometimes it’s easier, more convenient, and affirming to go along with the group that has become your tribe than it is to embrace your authentic leanings. When it was apparent to me that the belief system wasn’t worthy of being my God, I went with choice C.

Choice C. Leaving the tribe seemed out of the question. I need their support, their love, their friendship, so I attempted to force the God I’d come to know to fit within the boundaries of the belief system that I was a part of. The problem is you can’t put God in a box no matter how hard you try.

This led me to choice D, which is where I am today. I didn’t leave the tribe all together but I am camping with a different group that is more compatible. I’ve come to realize that God’s truth can come in multiple forms and it is my intention to live with and enjoy the mystery of God and release obsessive strivings to figure it all out.