I must begin by giving credit where it is due. The “quiet hand of God” that I reference comes from the writing of a very pious Orthodox priest by the name of Father Stephen. He wrote on Exodus 17:16, which speaks of the “secret hand of the Lord.” In this particular piece, Father Stephen wrote that he is convinced that most of God’s work in our lives and in the world remains hidden from us. When things don’t make sense, it isn’t because God doesn’t care or wishes us harm—it is because our own hearts are darkened and we can’t see his work of healing.
I found Orthodoxy while searching for objective truth. My conversion was unremarkable and somewhat lethargic. I simply felt that Orthodoxy was the least polluted of an unruly bunch of broken, imperfect versions of the Church. As you can imagine, this view didn’t exactly spur an outburst of spiritual enthusiasm or growth on my part. What I didn’t realize was that Truth, being a Person and not a passive idea or belief system, is alive. So, my active decision to become Orthodox, the action itself through the Spirit of God had repercussions of its own in my life and soul. As the Orthodox and those exploring Orthodoxy have discovered through the ages, the process of seeking after God and working out our salvation is dynamic. In a sense, every word and action has a life of its own, and God uses such action to work powerfully and quietly on our behalf—protecting, healing, and saving us, usually from ourselves.
So, I set out to find objective truth and I rediscovered the Author of all truth, or Truth Himself, in the Church that turned out to be His. I’m still trying to clear all the cobwebs of my past life’s invasive theology. It’s also incredibly difficult to grasp the overwhelming notion that Truth is alive and well, and I can not only know it, I can enter into it. I have a feeling that I don’t have a clue of the monumental and frighteningly real nature of the journey I’ve begun.
To be Orthodox means to constantly work out your salvation. To be Orthodox is to be communal. To be Orthodox is to be obedient. To be Orthodox is to thrill, yet tremble throughout an eternal encounter with Jesus the Christ.
I hope to experience and explore all of these facets of life in God. I pray for my heart to be enlightened to see the world as He does. I plan to follow Truth no matter the cost. Come with me if you are not afraid where the path may lead.
