That One-Time Experience; Hello God

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." -Matthew 11:28

*NB: Listen for a better experience.*

Wow.

I didn’t think I’ll finally be able to talk about this.

I mean, this is a big opportunity for me to share this rare experience with you all. Perhaps the ones that are still in question with their faith can also relate to this, to have a feeling that they are not alone, to know that it's never too late to have this spirit-filled experience I had.

Alright, we’re going way back to my cringe-worthy days as a second-year secondary school boarder.

Yes, I attended a questionable catholic school. If anything, most of the people there were always wicked witches in my eyes.

As I previously stated! Yes, it was a questionable secondary school with its own set of rules. Every day, as part of these rules, we had our daily devotion.

Every Sunday, we also attended our regular morning mass. It was something I had to do as a student at that school, although I never understood why I had to. It felt like I was going through the process of following the rules in order to avoid harsh punishments from some of the housemasters and prefects.

I was always told to "pray to God," but I didn't understand why; I just assumed it was a "pattern" that I had to follow to stay out of trouble. I never understood the significance of worshiping Him through hymns and Sunday services. Even when some of the reverend sisters gave us catechism classes on Catholic issues, I didn't grasp a thing.

I was dealing with a lot of things at the time, most especially my academics. Nobody seemed to understand how bad it was for me. It was discouraging to see my classmates making progress while I remained stagnant.

I recall sitting on my bed one evening with a sense of failure. I was on the verge of giving up. There seemed to be nothing I could do to improve my circumstances. Everything came crumbling down around me.

At that point, I truly felt lost. I felt so alone.

Now, this is where it gets a bit interesting.

It felt so random, but I suddenly had this urge to talk to God.

Not pray, talk.

I ignored it since I believed it was silly to have that feeling at that time.

I mean, I'm having a terrible time here, how can I just go on my knees and talk to the air?

Do you see why I called this memory lane cringe-worthy? I was quite the shameless pagan.

But, the more I ignored it, the more it grew in my chest.

"Talk," my subconscious self seemed to say as it nudged me in the back of the head.

So, I finally gave in.

I closed my eyes, shut out the noises in the room, and said quietly;

“Hello God.”

It may appear that I was being disrespectful by speaking to my Maker in that manner, but it was so soothing to let it all out.

It didn't feel like I was conversing with a King; rather, it felt like I was conversing with a friend.

It was the longest conversation I’ve ever had with anyone at that time.

I'm not sure how I got into the habit of talking to Him on a daily basis about everything; from my friendships with others to simple headaches, from troubles with teachers to my small rants on lost items.

And you know the crazy part?

He was listening.

I'm not sure how to put it, but I knew He was listening.

It didn't feel like I was talking to a brick wall; instead, it seemed like he was right next to me.

He seemed to be standing next to me, strolling next to me.

Everything fell into place ever since then. I probably did not notice at that time but I felt more at peace.

I didn't feel alone anymore.

Thinking back now, I'm glad I had this experience with Him. It cleared my mind and opened my eyes.

The truth is, having this experience is still very much possible. It does not have to take this form; it can appear anywhere and at any time. It will not come naturally if you try to force it. I still had a few setbacks with my faith but I'm still learning, I'm still growing.

Praying to God is one thing, talking to Him?

Whoosh.

You can always visit here and here if you want to learn more about the relationship with God, as well as have actual talks with Him.

If you did experience a thing or two, you can always share your story in the comments down below!

God bless!