Nothing can disturb the peace of a soul like feeling out of synch with one’s Creator. That was my situation last March as I struggled to deal with a painful development in my personal life.

I went to see one of our parish priests, Father Emmanuel Mbuk, MSP, for guidance. When I revealed my confusion and distress in relating to God, he said, “You need to figure out who God is for YOU.” He explained that the relationship to God feels different for different people. To some, God is “Father,” and they address Him as Father when they pray. To another, God may be “Brother” or “Spouse” or even “Mother.” I guess he could tell that I didn’t really understand what he meant, so he shared with me a story from his own life.

Father Emmanuel told me about an incident in his youth where he had been stranded, in terrible pain, and unable to help himself. When he prayed to God for help, a friend happened to show up at his house, took him to the pharmacy, and paid for the medicine needed to cure him. This emergency happened at a time in his young life when his family would not have had the money to buy medicine. Father Emmanuel considered his friend’s unlikely arrival and providential care as God acting to come to his rescue. It was a turning point in his life because from then on, he saw God as “friend.”

“Then I will try to see God as ‘friend’, too,” I said in response to his story.

“No,” he insisted, “You must find out who God is for YOU.”

I promised to try.

The next evening after supper, my husband and I went for a stroll. As we talked and walked, it suddenly came to my mind like of spark of light that God is “Teacher” for me! Immediately, the lessons from the various sufferings of my life started to make sense, especially the recent painful situation.  It is my deepest hope that God, my Teacher, will continue to reveal his Truth to me, answering the questions that sprout in the soil of my soul as I seek to know Him, love Him, and serve Him better every day.

Now the question is…

Who is God for YOU?