Where have you felt closest to God?

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Valke2

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I am sure many of us have had moments when we have felt the Divine Presence so strongly that it overshadowed everything else, including the self, if only for a moment. I’d like to hear from people as to where they were when this happened/happens.

I have had this experience on several occassions, but never while I was at shul (synagouge).
 
Valke2 said:
I have had this experience on several occassions, but never while I was at shul (synagouge).
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I remember having that experience when as a Catholic I had my first communion.

Also when I was in my late teens and I accepted Jesus as my personal lord and savior.

As an agnostic I get the feeling whenever I hear nice music. I guess its all about how you think. 🙂
 
Many years ago when I was receiving instruction in the Catholic faith, I began to attend Mass. My instruction did not yet include the Real Presence in the Eucharist. One Saturday afternoon, I was running late so I took a short cut to Mass which led me into Church by a side door. I was amazed when I found myself clear at the front of the Church. Quickly I slipped into the pew immediately in front of me and knelt to say my pre-Mass prayers. The moment I knelt, I felt the presence of God flood over me, emminating from the Tabernacle. It was what I imagine Moses felt before the Burning Bush.

When my priest explained Transubstantiation and the Real Presence to me, I had no problem accepting it as truth, because I had already experienced it.
 
Valke2 said:
I am sure many of us have had moments when we have felt the Divine Presence so strongly that it overshadowed everything else, including the self, if only for a moment. I’d like to hear from people as to where they were when this happened/happens.

I have had this experience on several occassions, but never while I was at shul (synagouge).
Click to expand...
I was working 2 jobs to pay off a debt. 8-5 in office 5:30 to midnight as a cashier. I had fasted all day long to have a prayer request answered from G-d. I had asked Him to please tell me from a complete stranger that I was loved. Yes, I knew this because I always felt G-d’s presence in my life but because I was going through a divorce and lots of “mess” I needed to hear this from G-d as I requested and just as I requested.

Close to midnight and man comes to my register and gives me a flier with a baby in a diaper. the words “YOU ARE SO LOVED”

EMES/TRUTH! THIS HAPPENED - MY PRAYER WAS ANSWERED.

I could write a lot on how my prayers were answered but only 1 more.

After my conversion, I was thrown into shidduchim/matchingmaking. I prayed for a man that was learned in the written and oral torah. A man that was kind and would teach me. I prayed for someone that was religious from birth.
My matchmaker, after my marriage said she smirked at my request because of my the “baggage” I had I should not hope to get such a fine catch. My “baggage” was 2 previous marriages and children and then a recent convert at that.

SMILING 🙂 G-d knew what I needed and I got EXACTLY what I prayed for. Our wedding pictures are on myspace.com
 
I have experienced this feeling myself many times. Typically outdoors, once or twice at Mass, but sometimes in the most unlikely places. God has a way of reminding us of His presence doesn’t He?
 
Valke2 said:
I am sure many of us have had moments when we have felt the Divine Presence so strongly that it overshadowed everything else, including the self, if only for a moment. I’d like to hear from people as to where they were when this happened/happens.

I have had this experience on several occassions, but never while I was at shul (synagouge).
Click to expand...
I felt the Divine Presence of God in the Blessed Tabernacle. As you know Catholic firmly believed that Jesus is truly present, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. The more I focus on praying to him during Mass, the more I find myself at peace.
 
My mother died in the summer of '89. My oldest daughter made her 1st communion the following spring.This was my mother’s favorite sacrament ,to see the children receive for the first time. I was at a catholic book store getting something for my daughter. I had stopped to look at a little book on Fatima ( my mother had loved that story, and I was missing her greatly) when I heard a voice whisper over my right shoulder “I took your mother, but I give you mine” That started my great devotion to our BVM. It was the most profound moment of my life.
I since have study Fatima extensively and St Cathrine LaBorne ,and the Miraculous Metal and have brought my girls up to love the BVM as well. They all wear the metal and look to her for guidence.The girls love Our Lady of Guadalupe, and each collect statues and other images of her.
May I add that Mary has pulled me in to the devotion of St. Joseph, as he is the protector of the family, by reading The Life of Mary as Seen Through the Mystics. It really opened my eyes and answered alot of question about Mary’s life I did not know. great reading
 
Valke2 said:
I am sure many of us have had moments when we have felt the Divine Presence so strongly that it overshadowed everything else, including the self, if only for a moment. I’d like to hear from people as to where they were when this happened/happens.

I have had this experience on several occassions, but never while I was at shul (synagouge).
Click to expand...
Two years after fighting stage 3 cancer and month after month of follow up tests, learning the other two guys that had it as bad as me were already dead, I gave up the fight and decided to commit suicide. It was the night before Easter, as my wife was making braided bread for Easter, I got up from the couch in the living room to get a handgun to finish myself off, when I was hit with horrible flashes of evil that kept getting worse and worse. I could not take it anymore and remembered God in the chaos. I yelled out “I don’t what to know the truth. God help me”. This came up from inside me. I could not even think to say it. Immediately everything stopped and I felt completely filled with love, mind , body, spirit. Every bad feeling was expelled and I felt deep compassion. I only knew God had saved me, I had to go to church and change my life. I went to confession for the first time as an adult, was confirmed and married in the Catholic Church within weeks. Now, two years later, I’ve had a spiritual director help me discern what had happened that night. The Priest said that my wifes prayers had come together saving me from eternal seperation from God. The evil I saw was my own sins in an “illumination of conscience” and the love I felt was the following “consolation” from God. I knew he was right, but I had to hear it. That intense evil I saw was my sins. If it wasn’t for the powerful consolation of love that overshadowed my own sins, I would not be able to live with myself and trust in His mercy. My life now belongs to the Lord. Tim
 
I felt - so, it could be my feeling that fooled me - but here are the three recent occasions that I felt the presence.
  • at home while praying the Rosary - this was the moment when something happened supernaturally - and my life has started to change ever since.
  • in front of the Eucharist right after going to the Confession.
  • Praying the 14 Stations of the Cross at night in a very dark wooded area.
 
In the presence of my children when they were infants;
Many times when outdoors;
Several times at mass;
One time when being thanked by a homeless person for assisting them.
 
Valke2 said:
I am sure many of us have had moments when we have felt the Divine Presence so strongly that it overshadowed everything else, including the self, if only for a moment. I’d like to hear from people as to where they were when this happened/happens.

I have had this experience on several occassions, but never while I was at shul (synagouge).
Click to expand...
one evening very late just recently in the sanctuary of my wife and son’s Anglican church during Eucharistic adoration.
 
Oddly enough, I have yet to feel ‘very close’ to God at church. I think this is a failing on my part. I’ve felt things, but nothing strong.

The two times I felt closest to God was when my two boys were born (at about two years apart). There was somethng miraculous about witnessing childbirth, truly a testimony to the theology of the body.
 
The example that sticks out in my mind is the moment after I recieve the Host. For just a moment I forget everything else and foucs on God. Only for a moment, though:(
 
I was touched and inspired by all the posts on this thread. I also had one of these moments this morning, and I have no doubt that it was thanks in part to your replies.

When I read what others have posted here, it makes so many of the posts that I have both read and written in other threads seem petty and childish.

Thank you again for sharing.
 
Valke, the ‘closest to God’ thingie seems to happen to people regardless of religion. jewish, christian, muslim, hindu, whatever. how do you reconcile this fact with your faith?
 
You are right it has happened several times.

A couple times at various Catholic Churches, but not at Mass. It was when I was alone in prayer or in adoration.

A couple of times when I was alone but not at Church, also in prayer.

And one time at a small Buddhist temple where I was meditating, also alone.

I reconcile the fact that these experiences happen to be people regardless of religion is because I believe firmly that God is relational and His relational aspect goes forth to positively affect people on an individual level. What people do with that experience is also individualistic even if it leads them to a community of people that have had, or seek to have, a similar experience.
 
When i had my children all to myself (for many years). :grouphug:

When in love with my high-school sweetheart…

When in the presence of someone i love unconditionally (and lust after, i have to admit 😃 ) … though it appears to be unreciprocate… :love: :whacky:

At the Exposed Blessed Sacrament:bowdown2: :highprayer:

While traveling - sleeping in my car at rest stops (just me and nature and GOD 🙂 ).
Thank you so much for asking. I needed to think about these beautiful things... :)
 
i just remembered another time when i felt that Heaven had actually descended to Earth: at a priest’s mother’s funeral… I started crying, i was so overwhelmed… and didn’t even care if anyone saw me… (which is a miracle in itself since ordinarily, i detest crying in public…). Weird thing was, i didn’t even know the priest or his mother…
 
AgnosTheist said:
Valke, the ‘closest to God’ thingie seems to happen to people regardless of religion. jewish, christian, muslim, hindu, whatever. how do you reconcile this fact with your faith?
Click to expand...
Judaism acknowledges that God speaks to everyone.
 
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