spiritual knowing over religious belief.

S. Moana
Aug 11, 2025
2 min read

Raised in church my entire life, I grew up believing that “spirit” was a thing of religious matter that would manifest itself as a result of worship. But the truth is, we are always being guided by spirit- through nature, our surroundings and synchronicities that many perceive as coincidence (1 Corinthians 2:10). While my religious experiences made me a witness to the various ways in which shame and guilt influenced the emotional body, it was the forgotten path of spirituality that inspired change in my life- “that God’s grace should be offered to all people” (Atherstone, 2023). If Christianity represents the life of Christ, which is essentially the path of enlightenment, then the quest for understanding involves the presence of higher realities. In my awakening, spirit existed in many forms- it was this aspect of faith that connected me with God (Romans 8:27). Spirituality, the divine attribute in which Christ attained an elevated state of existence that transcended the physical world (Romans 8:15). Religion, however, felt binding in the ways it redirected the wholeness of my soul (Galatians 5:22-23) towards beliefs of separation and condemnation. “Such historical amnesia’, is fatal for any culture, but particularly so for Christian communities whose identity is profoundly bound up with their history” (Atherstone, 2023). I left everything I knew because I refused to believe that a “holy spirit” would invoke chaos, division or bare false witness of any kind. From this lived experience, I offer genuine compassion for others who are moved to pursue God through a genuine lens that desires intimate association and spiritual growth (1 Corinthians 12:13). I share these words for liberation (2 Corinthians 3:17), to encourage the fact that our free will should not polarize the autonomy of choice. It is our birthright to follow that which brings us closer to compassion, love and deeper understanding of ourselves (Luke 24:45). The path I chose is one that embraces spiritual truths, characterized by a deep reverence for ancient philosophies involving purification. Spiritualty is a natural way of life for me, as I am connected to the divine essence of God that needs no representation between. Beyond intellectual knowledge, I learned to embrace the revelation of supernatural wisdom (John 3:5). After years of “becoming” a better Christian, God awakened me to “be” who I already was- in this I found peace.

Citations

Atherstone, A. (2023). Andrew Fuller’s Theology of Revival: Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility in Spiritual Renewal. By Ryan Rindels, Chris Chun. Journal of Theological Studies, 74(2), 828–830. https://doi-org.libproxy.calbaptist.edu/10.1093/jts/flad044