We are living in a very interesting time in history, sometimes I get the feeling it is a time that will, especially in the west, be remembered as the new dark ages. Spirituality in Christianity has officially come to dead end, even though people are seeking meaning of life and cannot find neither in materialism nor consumerism (where consuming is the point not buying and stewarding but throwing away to buy more) has brought culture to the end of destruction in my opinion. Recently I heard about a man here in the Ukraine, talking to one of the pastors in our church saying, ‘I have everything but still I am void on the inside’.
This last week’s I’ve been reading some works of Martin Luther and Augustine and it struck me to see and understand the tremendous hunger they both carried to experience God, a hunger for true spirituality. Sometimes I can get a feeling that Christianity is losing ground concerning experiencing God. I have my self said many times ‘we shouldn’t live by our feelings’ but today I regret these statements. Why? Because as people and as Christians we live in two worlds at the same time, outer and inner. The outside is very real and practical but that doesn’t mean that the inner world is unreal and like a pseudo reality, not at all. It’s the place where everything any man has ever created first was created, the place where the most divine music first was heard, long before it was played on instruments. Inside man is a whole world, a world much greater than what we see with our eyes and touch with our hands. And this is the place where God chose to dwell through His spirit, to quicken, refresh and anoint the inner life of the believer.
This is what I call true spirituality, and as I read the old saints and about modern saints I realize this is the place where miracles begin, great things for God are prepared. To try to have a true spiritual life without involving the move of God in the inner world is like trying to drive a car without gas! And when the Spirit of God moves feelings are stirred, tears of repentance are flowing, laughter of joy experiencing the great forgiveness of the Lord is heard, deep thoughts of figuring out more about God are thought, creativity comes with this inner freedom that only the Spirit of God can give and want to give us.
Spirituality is not first and foremost lots of activities but deep, sincere prayer and fellowship with God. It’s an inner walk with the Lord to the still waters where we find rest from our own deeds, meets the Savior, hears His beautiful voice and are touch but His presence. Both Augustine and later Luther sought this mystery, experiencing God.
Let us seek God, come to stillness and hear His voice and sense His touch. That’s the place where our souls are filled with His presence.
Matsjan