Finding God in All Things

Debra Black ponders how, by understanding God and our own nature, we can stand in awe of Him in the beauty around us.

Teach me, Lord, your way that I may walk in your truth, single-hearted and revering your name. (Psalm 86:11)  

It never ceases to amaze me how a simple walk through our woods can change my day. It certainly is physically rejuvenating, which science has supported. As ensouled bodies, we receive a natural peace and relaxation of the mind too as we focus on the beauty around us rather than the pain within us. For the Christian, however, we take this one step farther and recognize the source of this gift: God.  

For Saint Ignatius of Loyola, it was important to see God in all things. This is how we remain in awe of Him every waking moment. How to see God in all things, however, must be defined by Sacred scripture and tradition. Indeed, God is in all of creation by His essence, presence, and power. We marvel at creation because of the magnificence of its Creator. He continues to give existence to it all and all are subject to His power of holding its life in His hands. He imparts His very essence onto us to maintain our life in each moment of each breath. It is both beautiful and personal.  

God is God, and I’m not  

In modern times, the idea of seeing God in all things is sometimes misunderstood. The vocabulary used in pagan spiritualities sounds Christian but actually has a very different meaning. In particular, the new age and Eastern spiritualities believe (in varied ways) that a person’s spiritual growth leads them to become one in God, the same substance or nature as Him; to meld with God and become God. Some also believe we meld with the divine wisdom into one collective consciousness. Or that we can take in the spirit of plants and rocks to nourish our own spirit. All of these are modern forms of ancient heresies based in a misunderstanding of God and the human person.   

Nature’s beauty is alluring because it represents some attributes of God’s beauty, goodness, and power. The amazing variety of plants, animals, stones, waterways, and mountains are just a taste of His infinitely creative power. But it is in humans that we see the image of His divine mind and heart. Unlike plants and animals, our souls are spiritual, having spiritual functions and capacities because we are made in His image. We represent Him not by trace of attributes but by image, which means we have a likeness to Him. Only we can know and love truth and goodness; know and love Him. 

The glory of God is a human being fully alive. And to be alive consists in beholding God. (St. Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book IV, Ch. 20, paragraph 7, emphasis mine) 

Why is this important? Without an accurate understanding of who God is, our ability to grow in this loving relationship with Him is impeded because we cannot fully receive His love. Think about one person who is very dear to your heart. That relationship grew because you came to know them intimately, heart to heart. Likewise, consider a person that you thought you knew but were stunned to see another side of them: That relationship cannot grow deep because you never really knew their true self. You were basing your affection for them on a distorted image of who they truly are. The same is true of God. We must know and accept who He truly is in order to receive and reciprocate His love; to find Him in all things particularly in one another. 

God’s plan for you  

God’s plan for all of mankind is to grow in His love. We do so by allowing Him to heal our woundedness, cooperate with grace, and grow in virtue. By this means we begin to partake in His divine life (2 Peter 1:4) right now in our everyday life. Our nature does not change; rather, it is perfected. As we grow in His likeness, it is not a passage into becoming Him. It is a maturation into becoming fully human by which with His grace we can fully and perfectly love Him.   

Our existence is the greatest of testimony to His magnificence and power. He even has given each of us a purpose for our existence, some manner by which we praise and love Him thereby becoming an instrument of His love to others. He has designed complementarity across our personalities and purposes that serve to bring order and harmony in the cosmos. All of this is His plan for Divine Providence, His infinite wisdom of His Divine Mind exhibited only in us who are created in His image.   

Thus, if you did not exist, there would something of the wisdom of God that the world would never know, hidden from the entire cosmos. Every life matters, including yours. Let us endeavor to find God in all things, especially each other. 

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Copyright 2024 Debra Black
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