Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Let's get real!


Recently a client recorded as one of his treatment goals, “I want to figure out what God is to me.” While it is true that this is an out of the ordinary goal vis-à-vis a substance abuse treatment plan, I find that he selected it nothing less than extraordinary. 
            For anyone to seek something or someone, they must first determine that what they have or who they have is somehow insufficient.  Moreover, from ‘ground zero’ as it relates to things spiritual or religious, someone seeking must be open to the reality that what they will discover may well be an “it” rather than a “who”.
            Truly spiritual men and women know their path has been littered with struggle – pain, suffering, and error have been their teachers.  You see, spirituality should never be confused with religion.  The term spirituality involves finding meaning and purpose in one’s life and experiences. It encompasses a person’s philosophy of life and world view. Spirituality, then, refers to our inner belief system.  Conversely, religion refers to the externals of our belief system and has to do with such things as church, prayers, traditions, rites, rituals, and etcetera.  Religion is the frame – spirituality is that which is contained inside the frame.
            I’m thinking it is this misunderstanding of the unique character of each of the aforementioned that leads so many Christians to abandon church attendance altogether.  Whenever one embraces the church (religion) so as to provide meaning and purpose for their lives (something it can never do), they will inevitably leave the same, feeling let down and unfulfilled – normally these misguided souls will seek and attend several different churches before ultimately believing they are ‘better off’ to stay home. 
Tragically, from the hallowed vantage point of their home, these misdirected individuals find they still battle emptiness – only now they can’t blame the church! Truth be told, the difficulty – the REAL difficulty – was their futile attempt to make the “context” of church replace a personal and feeble sense of spirituality. Sound familiar? It should.  It happens far too often!
Perhaps we should each take some time and ponder my client’s treatment goal.  Can you strip away or at least peal back the religious jargon and ritual long enough to stand before a mirror and proclaim, “I want to figure out what God is to me.”?

2 comments:

  1. I absolutely love the way you defined the differences between spirituality and religion. Awesome and right on! Church can never "give" us God! Church can enhance our experience of God as we embrace community in praise and worship. Yet, it is so true, the true experience of God only comes from within one's soul at that heart level when one has searched for life's meaning amidst struggle. I am so reminded here of Jeremiah 29:12-14 - "Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord ....

    It is indeed about that internal relationship with Him which is the basis of our spirituality.

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  2. Indeed, the "when" in the above reference speaks of more than a period of time - it speaks of a CONDITION that must be met. It is that very condition that is the key for understanding why so many do not "find God".

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