Have you ever felt “less than” because you didn’t find the connection with God in a certain environment that other people did? Maybe it was a worship night at your church where, afterwards, you heard others talk about how thick the presence of God was…but you didn’t feel it. Maybe it was a night of prayer in which many talked about how close they felt to God as they “pressed in”… but you didn’t. Maybe it was a winter retreat in which everyone got up to experience God in the sunrise, but you just found yourself wishing you weren’t so cold. It wasn’t that you didn’t enjoy the worship, the prayer, or even the sunrise but you didn’t feel as connected to God as the others did in those moments, so you begin to doubt your own spirituality.
Well, take heart. Not everyone connects with God in the same way. In fact, a great deal of study has gone into the subject of how we best connect with God and those who did the studies have determined that there are a least nine different ways in which people best connect or feel closest to God. These are usually called primary pathways or sacred pathways to God. These findings actually should not surprise us. Afterall, God has made us all to be unique. He has given us different gifts, temperaments, and experiences with which to fulfill his unique purposes for us, so why would we expect to all experience him in the same way? Gary Thomas suggests nine sacred pathways. Let me briefly list these as a sampler of what I am talking about.
The naturalist feels most connected to God when he or she steps outside and observes God’s creation. These are the “let’s watch the sunrise folks.” Whether mountains, deserts, beaches, lakes, rivers, city parks, or a flower garden in their own backyard, they seem to see and hear God best in those environments.
The sensate experiences God though their five senses. They feel connected by majestic music, sacred architecture, sacred art, communion, candle light services, etc. These symbols stir their spirits to sense the presence and grandeur of God. God made us with five senses so we must be able to experience him through those as well as other ways.
The traditionalist loves traditional forms of worship including liturgical readings, historic rituals, keeping to church calendars and holy days. They feel the presence of God when they align themselves with centuries of faith through these traditions and hundred-year-old hymns. Praise bands and light shows do not connect them to God in the same way.
The ascetic finds God most clearly in simplicity and solitude. These men and women probably tend to be introverts who process their faith more internally than externally. They gravitate toward traditional spiritual disciplines such as fasting, prayer vigils, and solitude. They find God best in silence rather than in a sanctuary of spirited worshippers.
The activist meets God best in the midst of battle. It is in confronting the enemy or injustice or poverty that God seems most real, immanent, and exciting. These folks campaign for change, become evangelists, pray in front of abortion centers, and so forth.
The caregiver feels closest to God when meeting the needs of the poor, the sick, and the oppressed. Mother Theresa comes to mind. These individuals feel closest to God when serving others. They often are the first to sign up for service projects. They may gravitate toward the medical field, social services, or even first responders. They feel most connected to God when they are there for others in crisis.
The enthusiast loves the excitement and celebration of faith. They love conferences where they are challenged to take risks…missions, prayers for healing others, sharing a prophetic word, etc. They love creative and contemporary forms of worship and wake up every morning hoping that God will perform a miracle that day in them or through them.
The contemplative is marked by emotional attachment and abandonment to God. Perhaps, more than any other, these individuals seek a personal relationship with God through extended quiet times, extended periods of seeking his presence or hearing him. They like to show their love for God through secret acts of devotion, anonymous gifts of charity, or private worship just for God.
The learner discovers God through study. His or her spirit is stirred when they discover new truths about God. These are individuals who want to get through with the worship so they can discover more of God in the sermon. Bible study is the center of their devotional life. They want to talk theology with friends and always have a new book feeding their hunger to discover more about the Father.
These pathways are not exhaustive but demonstrate that we all connect best with God in different ways. We often connect in several ways. This doesn’t mean that if worship is not my high point of the day, that I don’t need to worship. We are commanded to do so. We are commanded to serve the poor, study the word, be still before God, etc. But, when we don’t experience the presence of God in one setting like others do, we don’t have to feel less spiritual or less acceptable to God.
A caution: we are all human. We tend to think that our primary pathway to God should be everyone else’s primary pathway as well. If we are not careful, we may judge them as less spiritual than we are, but that would be a mistake. God has given each a different role in the body, different gifts, and different personalities. Each is valid, each is valuable. When you find your primary pathway(s) to God, put yourself in that place more often. Don’t discount your pathway because it is not the pathway most celebrated in your church or the pathway of other believers you admire. Rest in the fact that it is part of how God made you and seek him on that pathway on a regular basis.