Divine Closeness and Spiritual Transformation
In today's world, the pursuit of a spiritual connection with God becomes a powerful source of inner light, joy, and wisdom. When a person consciously chooses to live by following the highest commandments and turns to God, his soul begins to transform: thoughts are purified, emotions are filled with humility and gratitude, and everyday life is imbued with divine grace. This way of life fosters the development of patience, sound judgment, and depth, as every good deed and every prayer become steps on the path to inner perfection and spiritual growth.However, distancing oneself from the Divine Source leads to the loss of this unseen support. A life without a genuine longing for communication with God can result in inner emptiness, constant dismay, and the absence of true joy. A person who rejects grace becomes vulnerable to negative influences, which affects not only his mental state but also the overall quality of life. Without constant spiritual renewal, even the smallest sparks of light may be overshadowed by the darkness of everyday worries and temptations.Thus, a genuine desire to draw near to God opens up a realm in which one can attain immeasurable happiness and inner harmony. Through sincere communion with the Divine, the understanding of His supreme wisdom, and a life filled with virtue, we can experience a depth and fullness of meaning that is capable of transforming not only our inner world but our entire life, granting us a sense of eternal bliss here and now.
How does closeness to or distance from God affect the quality of our lives and our spiritual perception of the world?Closeness to God has a profoundly positive impact on every aspect of a person’s life, his inner state, and his way of perceiving the world. When a person lives striving to follow the commandments and turns to God, his life begins to fill with light, joy, and purification. This is evident, as noted in one of the sources: “The more such deeds we perform, the more our life is woven from these actions, the closer we become to God, the more we begin to feel God and His nearness to us; our heart will more frequently be graced with tenderness, our prayer will become more focused and attentive; we will become more patient, more prudent; we will grow much wiser, for we will offer our mind to God, be in constant communication with Him, and God’s grace will sanctify us. In this way, our life will improve, our feelings and thoughts will gradually be cleansed and brightened. All the darkness in our life will vanish. Our heart will always be filled with joy because the Lord will visit us with it. We will learn that which no one else knows.” (source: link txt).On the other hand, distancing oneself from God leads to the loss of grace, which impacts a person’s inner world. As stated in another source, “He who has turned away from God accepts demonic influences, whereas he who lives with God receives divine Grace. God’s grace will be given to the one who possesses it. And if a person has only a little grace but treats it without due reverence, then even the little he has will be taken away. Modern people lack the Grace of God because, in sinning, they cast off even the crumbs of grace they do have. And when divine Grace departs, all the demons fiercely rush into a person. Depending on how far people have turned away from God, they experience dismay in this life. In another life, they will endure eternal dismay. The more a person lives according to God’s will, the more he, even in this life, tastes a part of the sweetness of paradise.” (source: link txt).It is also worth noting that the desire to draw near to God is linked to profound changes in the very being of a person, which in turn reflects in his spiritual perception and quality of life. As it is said: “The closer a person comes to the likeness of God, the stronger his desire will be to have the most intimate communion with God. Communion with God, the knowledge of God, is the vision of God’s life within oneself: from the disposition of his own soul, the righteous person learns what the Divine Life consists of and its very essence. In other words, the knowledge of God, which constitutes the essence of eternal bliss, in turn represents the likeness to God; achieving this is akin to fully reproducing the image of God within oneself. Communion with God is inseparably linked to the moral growth of a person. By knowing God, a person learns to live virtuously. Conversely, by living virtuously, a person experientially comes to know God. The true Christian aspires to virtue and holiness. By attaining holiness, he becomes close to the All-Holy God; even in earthly existence, communion with God becomes bliss, the highest joy, and consolation. Eternal bliss in eternal existence will also lie in communion with God. This is the essence of eternal life.” (source: link txt).Thus, closeness to God shapes our spiritual perception of the world as one filled with meaning, joy, and inner harmony, while distancing ourselves from Him leads to spiritual emptiness, dismay, and the loss of a part of life’s joy. These changes affect not only our internal state but can also reflect on the overall quality of our life.