Coming Out Of The God Closet
I have often felt there’s a stigma attached to people who love God, because I held that prejudice myself for many years.
But the truth is: there is something bigger! There is a love and an intelligence that is much bigger than we are. You can call it whatever you want. You can call it God, but you don’t have to. Call it George — it doesn’t matter. In twelve-step programs they call it a higher power.
Consider these timeless spiritual truths common to all traditions:
- We’re not just physical bodies; we are spiritual beings and we are eternal.
- We are loved and guided.
- Fear and worry are unnecessary.
- We already have everything we need.
- Every single person we encounter is our brother or sister.
- No one is better than anybody else. Your skin color, gender, and IQ don’t matter.
- We are one — all living this human experience together.
It is said that if we keep our focus on God, or the highest in us, then everything will be taken care of and provided for. A research article reported that the happiest people in the world are not those with the most money, married or single, well-educated or having an ocean view. The happiest people in the world, by far, are those with faith in something bigger.
I decided to lay down my resistance and give it my best effort. As soon as I said “yes,” everything started to shift. “Ask and you shall receive.”
Think of it like this: We’ve been looking through a tiny little hole in the fence and lived our lives based on a very small point of view. It’s hard to believe anything else exists apart from what you can see through that pinhole. A spiritual practice is like making your fence hole bigger and bigger. To look for God everywhere and in every face is a living experiment.
Faith begins as an experiment and ends as an experience. Experiment with removing past stigmas and give God a try; then formulate your own opinion. If you’re already living a life in love with God, then I hope you don’t feel like you need to hide it or be embarrassed by it. It is the most awesome thing you could do. It’s the reason you’re here.
Question: How do you feel about this old stigma? What does it mean for you? You can email your comment to linda@teachersofgod.org.
Linda Leland is an ordained A Course In Miracles Minister and teacher at the Teachers of God Foundation, offering their free 40-day program to personal transformation. Visit http://www.teachersofgod.org/40-day-program/.
