What is God? Where is God?

"I have a hard time with the concept of God. I wasMy experience is that God is always here guiding us
not brought up in a religious family. I believe there istoward our highest good. One of the ways I help my
something beyond myself, but I just don't know howclients to access the wisdom that God has for us
to think of it or experience it."each and every moment is to imagine a spiritual being
"I was brought up in family where God wasthat is here just for you. This can be a Teacher, a
portrayed as judgmental and punishing. I can't evenmentor, a guardian angel, a beloved relative who has
hear the word 'God' without feeling anxious. How ampassed away, or the highest, wisest part of yourself
I supposed to open to God when I believe that God- your own higher self. By opening to learning with a
is controlling?"wise and loving being who wants nothing more than
"How can I believe in God when there are so manyto guide you toward your joy and the full
bad things that happen to people? If there really is amanifestation of yourself, you open to being guided
God, then why does He let these things happen?"by the love and wisdom of God.
"God as a man just does not work for me. The menThis guidance is your birthright. We were not dumped
in my life have been mostly angry and controlling. Ialone on the planet to fend for ourselves. Yet you
don't feel safe opening to a male god."will not have an experience of this love and guidance
These are a few of the many comments I hearuntil you open to learning from God. My clients who
from my clients as I work with helping them open topractice opening to learning with a spiritual source of
a personal source of spiritual guidance.love and wisdom discover for themselves the truth
The New Testament is very clear regarding whatof God. They are no longer caught in beliefs that do
God is:not served them - that God is judgmental, controlling
John 4:24and punishing; that God does not exist; that God will
"God is Spirit, and those who worship Him mustnever be there for them personally; that they have
worship in spirit and truth."to earn God's love; that God can stop people from
1 John 4:8harming each other.
He who does not love does not know God, for GodYou will know God when you open your heart to
is love."learning about loving actions toward yourself and
1 John 4:16others. When your primary intention is to learn about
"God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God,how to love yourself and others, rather than to keep
and God in him.on trying to get love or avoid pain, you will have a
John tells us that "God is Spirit" and "God is love." Hepersonal experience of God.
tells us that when we are being loving, we are withinIf the term "God" is a negative trigger for you, then
God and God is within us.change it to Spirit, or Higher Power, or whatever
My personal experience is that God is love, peace,works for you. God is not a being who cares about a
joy, and truth, and that God is everywhere, bothname. God is the ever-present experience of love,
within us and all around us. When our hearts are opencompassion, truth, peace and joy that is always
to love, compassion and kindness toward ourselvesavailable for you whenever you choose to open your
and others, we experience the fullness of God withinheart.
us and the safety of being within God.