What is Your Spiritual Wiring?
Do you know how you connect with the Divine
Where is God?
When I was working as a pastor, a man shared how he had attended church with his family but did not enjoy the church. He told me that he did not experience God in the building, found the music boring, dreaded going to small groups, and the sermons were hard to understand.
He also told me that when he had shared his disgust for the church, other Christians said he must try harder and keep attending. After many years of following their advice, he felt empty, longing for something different, and discouraged. He thought something was wrong with him because he did not resonate with the church.
I asked if he remembers having a sense of God or an experience of the Divine in his life. He thought about it for a few minutes and responded, “I know there have been times when I felt God or something bigger than me, but it was not in a church.”
He told me about growing up in Colorado and hiking in the forest when he was younger. He shared about standing on the top of a mountain overwhelmed by the beauty. He remembered watching the stars at night and thinking of the vastness of creation. He said, “I guess being outdoors is a better church for me.”
As I listened, I realized that he had a strong sense of God in his life, but Christians told him he was doing it wrong. Others forced him to adopt their experience of the Divine, but it did not fit his spiritual wiring.
Spiritual Wiring
Every person is 100% unique, including how we connect with the Divine. There are no dittos among souls. Just as we have different personalities, we also have different ways of connecting spiritually. What resonates for one person may or may not resonate with another. Even though we are each wired differently, there are themes and patterns for how we experience God or the Divine. The key is understanding our specific spiritual personality and connection type. We may have one or multiple ways of feeling a greater sense of the Infinite Presence in our life. Connection types include:
Relational Connection
- Find it easy to see the Divine in another person
- Times of solitude may feel boring or dull
- Spiritual discussions are engaging and encouraging
Intellectual Connection
- Engages the mind before the spirit
- Gravitate towards activities that stretch the intellect, knowledge, and wisdom
- Must be convinced mentally before the heart will follow
Serving Connection
- Feel closest to the Divine when helping others
- Especially drawn to volunteering and service opportunities
- Desires to give of self for the good of another
Contemplative Connection
- Enjoys spending time alone
- People and activities may feel draining
- Feels closest to God through silence, solitude, or reflection
Activist Connection
- Drawn to the marginalized and excluded
- Often action-oriented and engaged by the struggle for justice
- Feels alive through an intense challenge
Creation Connection
- Feel closest to the Divine in nature (mountains, beach, desert, forest, etc.)
- Energized through an outdoor environment
- Easy to see the Divine in all creation
Worship Connection
- Wants to physically or verbally express a deep sense of gratitude
- Drawn to music as a connection with the Divine
- Enjoys singing or dancing
Traditional Connection
- Enjoy consistency, liturgy, and sacraments
- Desires structure and organization in faith
- Connect with religious images or symbols
Physical Connection
- Experiences the Divine through the five physical senses
- Great intuition of and connection with the body
- Often enjoys movement or physical exertion
Artistic Connection
- Observant, passionate, and imaginative
- Expresses inner-world and imagination through physical
- Time tends to disappear in creative endeavors
Mystical Connection
- Sees connectedness and Divine within all things
- Views physical world as a window to spiritual reality
- Drawn to different expressions of spirit and energy (crystals, rocks, incense, chakras, angels, numbers, etc.)
How About You?
You may see yourself in these connection types, or your spiritual wiring may be different. This list is not exhaustive. What might it be for you?
Do you know your spiritual wiring and personality? Are there places or practices that give you a greater sense of God or the Divine? What would it look like if you gave more attention and time to what resonates with your spirit?
May you have the freedom to pursue your spiritual wiring and find what is life-giving for you!
References
- Sacred Pathways by Gary Thomas. The author shares nine sacred pathways for connecting with God: Naturalists, Sensates, Traditionalists, Ascetics, Activists, Caregivers, Enthusiasts, Contemplatives, and Intellectuals.
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