God said, “you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13). In this verse, God not only declared His existence, but affirms that He can be found & known. Therefore, a direct experience of God should be the ultimate goal of every spiritual seeker, no matter what Faith we follow. Below are 5 ways that we can come to know God directly.

1. CONTEMPLATION:

This is usually a gift bestowed upon a seeker by the grace of God. In this state God rewards the seeker by helping to concentrate their mind and thoughts and elevate their consciousness to receive new spiritual understanding. In contemplation the mind is completely absorbed, focused, and occupied with God and spiritual things. This helps to purify the body and allows our inner self to sense and feel God’s presence all around.

“Eye cannot see Him nor words express Him, but when the mind is cleansed by the grace of wisdom, He is seen in Contemplation…” (Mundaka Upanishad 3.1.8)

2. PRAYER & MEDITATION:

If something exists, it should be able to be discovered and experienced. And through a technique, such as Meditation, we are able to actually feel and hear God. Now, Meditation is a lot like contemplation but consists more of our own personal effort. But, I use the word “effort” cautiously because meditation, itself, is “effortless”; to reach the meditative state we have to just let it happen.

But, I use the word effort because through the process we do have to learn how to control & release our mind’s thoughts and open ourselves up to God’s omnipresent energy. We must learn how to quiet the mental chatter of our minds in order to listen to God within. And, when in a deep meditative state, the practitioner can experience and connect to the peace, wonder, and bliss of God’s presence which is always around and accessible to us.

Now, I’m sure that many need no clarification on what prayer is. Therefore, I’ll keep it brief. Since, we described contemplation as a thinking about God and spiritual things; and meditation as the listening to God ; then we can describe prayer as talking with God.

3. THE UNIVERSAL & INHERENT KNOWLEDGE OF MORAL LAW:

Where else could our inherent ability to know right from wrong have come from, if not but from a just, moral, and loving God? Why would we have this things called our conscience if it doesn’t matter what we do or if we had no one to answer to?

God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah saying, “I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts…” (Jeremiah 31:33). This is why we are able to know when our actions are right or wrong. For, deep within God law is guiding us and showing the way.

4. NATURE:

It’s been said that those who understand and appreciate nature walk close to God. In fact, to the discerning eye God can be found throughout every part of His creation; for He is the Energy and Force through which everything is made. The beauty, colors, organization, and harmony of the universe attest to His mighty hand and leave us evidence of His fingerprints.

King David, saw the hand of God all around Him, and said in Psalm 19:1

“The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.”

 5. THE TESTAMENTS OF RELIGIOUS FOUNDERS AND HOLY PERSONS:

If you look to the founders of the major religions and philosophies (Buddha, Jesus, Krishna, Moses, Muhammad, Zarathustra, etc…) they lived at different times and in different parts of the world,  yet their messages are ideally the same. Then, when we take into account the impact these individuals had on humanity and world history, we cannot simply write them all off as crazy, delusional, quacks and/or madmen who were simply hearing voices. There must truly be something greater behind them, their actions, and their lives in order for them to have such a widespread and lasting effect.

These spiritual masters were trying to show us a way. They left us paths amd examples to follow, and they gave us rules to live by, so that we may connect to God ourselves and realize His presence in our own lives. They wanted us to be at the same place they were and experience life in the same way as them.

Also, there are many spiritual masters, saints, and holy people who gave up their lives and actually died for their belief in God. Now, wouldn’t it be ridiculous for them to do such a thing if they weren’t 100% certain of God’s existence? Such men and women must have had complete confidence and irrefutable proof that God was a true and living entity if they were willing to accept death.

May God bless you on your own journey to Him & remember to always – Heed the Spirit,

Anthony