I heard this phrase tonight during a lecture given by a Sufi Muslim. He used it in the context of Islam, of course, when discussing one’s relationship with God. But I felt that it really described my journey with God thus far.
When I first encountered God, really encountered him, I was in my early 20’s. My first reaction was very selfish—what some might call a belief in the so-called prosperity gospel. Let me explain: I viewed God in very individual, “me” terms. My Jesus, My saving, My blessings, and so on. I really fell for the prosperity idea—the belief that God has plans to bless you materially, and that everything comes down to two individuals—me and God. I was also quite narrow in my interpretation of Scripture, and very strict about who was “in” and who “wasn’t”. But then I started to expand. I began to embrace others, in all their imperfect wholeness. Yes, I really did just write that. I realized that this was not about two individuals—it was about millions of individuals, a whole planet, in fact—and a God who deeply loved all that he had created. I saw not “spiritual projects”, but unique creations with special gifts, struggles, and their own way of approaching the world. It no longer mattered whom I believed to be “in” or “out”. My purpose was to love, be compassionate, and to serve. And that’s when the final aspect of the phrase was fulfilled—I united with God and all around me. I see the very real connection I have to all of God’s creation—people, plants, animals, water—and know the responsibility I have to each one. And my recognition of that responsibility has brought me full circle with God—I can now spend my life loving and serving—the exact “job” he has for each of us if we really want to unite with him.
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