Dear Guts Is The Key Reader. Those of you who have followed my BEAM (blog) for some time, probably thought I have forgotten the GUTS acrostic series.  Not a chance. I am up to 83 and there are plenty more to share with you. But as you know, if you have followed me for some time, I write about a lot of things. And with my busy life, since the release of my book “Positive x Positive = Unlimited.” These G.U.T.S. installments have been pushed to the side. But I will make good on my promise and continue to release these writings, from time to time here at: Guts Is The Key.

One of the key tenets of most people’s faith that have a sincere one; is that their Higher Power is aware of their circumstances and individual need. This is certainly my persuasion. I  believe that God Understands The Situation, G.U.T.S. #39.

Many brilliant people however, do not have a “personal” faith.  They, (like Einstein, whose thinking I admire) do not think that that there is any such thing as a “personal” God. And I totally get it, why they feel this way…

My sister Detra was an agnostic for most of her life. And I admired that she did not pretend to know. {It is worthy of note, that she did come to faith before the end of her life}. Still, I respected her right to not believe, as much as she did my right to believe. Evenso, many have solid reasons for a lack of faith, especially in regards to the view of a “personal” God.

My sister Detra, in the car with me in the last days of her life. 2005

So why do I have a personal faith? Two reasons.

1- Jesus was a literal time, place man of historical validity, whose claims changed the world and One of those claims is that God is personal. I believe Him.

And

2- God has revealed Himself to me, very personally. Irrefutably, Undeniably and Unmistakably God has shown Himself to me, repeatedly…..

Now, this is very unfair to many of you who have not had such a Personal Encounter with God. I talk to Him about this unfair situation, all the time.

I have to believe. Because I have had a subjective, direct, confrontational experience with God that has transformed my whole life. And so I argue with God; “Why don’t you show Yourself so clearly to everyone else?” ……… I don’t know. He doesn’t tell me.

But what I do know is that many times, He does not reveal Himself to people personally, until they seek Him. “Seek and You shall find” Matt. 7:7

I will never forget that when I was a little boy, I was a tear tail. I was into everything and wide-open, to say the least. On a certain trip to the beach when I was just a tike; my father told me again and again not to take off without Him. Of course I listened. Yeah right!

On one of my excursions away from his protection running up the busy Myrtle Beach sidewalk, in a throng of people my father disappeared. I realized I was all alone, in a wave of giant people. I was terrified and cried as I started running everywhere looking for my parents. In the midst of my desperate fear, I was snatched up…. by my very wise father who was watching the whole time, behind a nearby corner to teach me a lesson. He didn’t have to tell me anymore. I stayed close to him, thereafter.

Sometimes, I think its like that with God. He is there the whole time. God Understands The Situation. We don’t see Him. But He is right there the whole time, right around the corner keeping an eye on us.

I remember in the worst adult failure of my life; I turned into a sot drunk. I wouldn’t have told you so. I couldn’t even admit it to myself. I sunk to a terrible abyss of hopelessness. I wondered where God was. My religious thoughts were just empty ideas. Ideas as empty as my heart. Where was God???

When I finally got humble enough to look beyond my own answers. I discovered He had been there all along. He snatched me up at my bottom, when I learned my lesson; just like my earthly father did, so many years before. God Understood The Situation.

I read today the wise advice of a Catholic Saint. He said: “Half an hour’s meditation is essential except when you are very busy. Then a full hour is needed.” St. Francis de Sales

Perhaps that is the problem for my most. They don’t experience a very personal contact with God, because they are too busy. I know in my own life that when I take time for meditation and prayer that it deepens my personal connection with God. And when I take this needed time. Then, I  usually get my answer! God was there all along and G.U.T.S. #39 “God Understands The Situation.”

May you find the reality of God in your own life.

Best to you always!

Slam

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