Adolescent Spirituality

So often I have heard people in and out of meetings talk about the God out there who will help them if they learn the correct asking formula.  Since we don’t trust children to be mystics, this is what we tell them, often because this is what the teacher believes too.  But when you mature in a more contemplative/deeper meditative prayer, you begin to move from God the object that you might say you love, to a Presence that you surrender to.  Surrender, rather than getting something becomes the main motive for prayer.  The mystic sees themself as they are, hopelessly powerless to change on their own for the better.  People who ask God out there for stuff, don’t really want to change.  The drunk who says, “God get me out of this mess and I will be good and sober, never stops drinking.  Only someone who knows they cannot stop, but wants to, will surrender.  Surrender and you get what you need.  What you want is more about ego and fear.