X-Personal_name: Terje Bergersen
From: noetic@oslonett.no
Subject: Experience of prescense

It is inspired to see so many testimonies about individuals experiences of the Spiritual prescense around us and in us. I myself was blessed with this long ago. It first confused me, then, on account of me gaining experience in life generally ... in the light of the experience, it strenghtened me. It gave me not only hope and faith, it gave me conviction that there is a God, that he is present , and that his will is good.

It took on the characteristics of emptying. It felt like I was freed from all pain and all fear. Before that it had almost felt like a physical weight, or pressure, in my heart. I ofen, often sighed and I saw no meaning in anything, because of this feeling, an emptyness, an unsatisfied need in the depth of me, What first happened was that it left me. This painfull weight had been shed from me, and I knew that it was not my own doing. I was overwhelmed with gratitude, but then I realized, I knew not to what. Before this I didnt even think about God, not even as a doubter or "atheist", so I now felt perplexed and a new desire, a new need appeared in my heart; to know what was the source of this grace that had freed me. At that moment it felt distant, it felt painfully distant, although the freedom I felt suggested the prescense of a supreme will, or a will which had the power to free me, and that it had worked within me.

That which has happened to me since this experience of "grace", was that this distance became smaller and smaller, on account of my growing love and appreciation of God, whom I began to experience at a closer and closer range, untill the prescense of the Holy Spirit became an ingredient in my life, a guiding inspiration keeping me from harming myself and others with wrong and ignorant actions.

"Seek and ye shall find," Jesus said .

For me, I did not seek God. God sought me out, for my own sake, and this affirms in me my belief that God is good, that God is Love for those who love him , and that his will is that we shall be perfect by this love.

I hope this description was clear, to talk about these things. To give it words as expression, is difficult, and I appreciate that others take time to attempt to do so. A sincere and inspired person is a treasure, and in sharing his inspiration he gives wealth to others.

Blessed Be, your eyes be open, your ears hearing, your spirit strong!