Pray for Your Own Discovery

“There is in each of us an innermost center, in which is found the true self that is not separate from God.”—Thomas Merton

Each of us has within us an unshakable connection to the divine, an indwelling presence that is not something we must strive to create, but something we are called to uncover. This is the deepest truth about who we are—that our truest self is not an isolated entity but is inseparably united with God. Our journey, then, is not about becoming something we are not, but about awakening to what we already are, revealing the divine essence that has always been part of us. As we open to this reality, we find that God is not distant or detached but intimately present, dwelling within us, as close as our own breath.

Yet, to truly embrace this divine connection, we must also recognize that there is a false self, a constructed identity that leads us away from our true nature. The world offers us countless illusions about who we are supposed to be—based on status, success, and external approval. But the truth is that our identity is a gift from God, given in His mercy, not something to be earned through achievements or external validation.

“What God has willed for your own true identity is given you in His mercy, not in His justice.” —Thomas Merton

This is the liberating truth we must hold onto: we do not have to work for our worth. It is already bestowed upon us by the Creator, not because we have earned it, but because God loves us. The path to spiritual awakening, then, is one of shedding the false self, the ego, and returning to the true identity we were given before time began.

When we embrace our true identity, we begin to understand that everything—every aspect of life—is held together by God’s vision and love. The entire universe exists because God knows it and loves it.

“Things are because God knows them and loves them.” —Thomas Merton

This is a radical way of seeing the world, where nothing exists apart from God’s awareness. The trees, the sky, the human heart—they are all sustained by divine love. To know God is not simply to accumulate facts about Him; it is to be drawn into His reality, to live within His loving awareness. In fact, to know God is to be caught up in the love that upholds the entire cosmos. And this love is not something distant, but something near—within our very souls, constantly calling us to deeper intimacy.

“Contemplation is a gift and a work at the same time, but above all it is a gift.”
—Thomas Merton

This leads us to the heart of contemplation, which is not an effort or a discipline we impose on ourselves, but a grace we receive. It is the gift of entering into God’s presence, of resting in His love, without trying to control or direct the encounter. This is not about achieving a heightened state of awareness, but about being receptive to God’s silent presence, which works in us more deeply than we can ever fully understand. Contemplation requires a surrender, a willingness to empty ourselves of distractions and open ourselves to God. And as we do so, we discover that the more we let go, the more we experience the vastness of God’s love and the depth of the divine presence within us.

And yet, spiritual growth is not a once-and-done event. It is a continual process of surrendering to God’s will and allowing our hearts to be transformed by His love.

“It is useless to try to make an absolute distinction between the natural and the supernatural in our interior life.” —Thomas Merton

This truth means that God’s presence is not something that only appears in extraordinary moments of mystical insight or prayer. God is always present, working within us and through us, even in the ordinary moments of life. The spiritual journey is about cultivating an awareness of God’s activity in every moment, allowing the sacred to be revealed in the mundane. This is where true transformation happens—not when we compartmentalize our spiritual life, but when we learn to live in union with God in every aspect of our being.

“The life of grace is nothing but the life of God Himself, communicated to those who love Him in the very act of love.” —Thomas Merton

Salvation, in this sense, is not something we achieve through moral perfection or external observance. It is, rather, the gift of God’s mercy and grace. This is a deeply humbling truth. We do not earn grace, nor do we possess it as something we own; rather, we are invited to live in God’s grace, to allow His life to flow through us. This grace is the very presence of God’s life, given freely to those who love Him. And as we receive this gift, we are transformed. The more we open to grace, the more we are conformed to the image of Christ and the more fully we live out our true identity.

“The monk is not defined by his task, his usefulness, his function, but simply by the fact that he is a man who is alone with God.” —Thomas Merton

In order to fully embrace this grace, we must also be willing to detach ourselves from the illusions that distract us. While this statement speaks of monastic life, its wisdom applies to all of us. Our value is not found in what we do, but in who we are before God. To grow spiritually, we must learn to detach from the need for validation, from the pursuit of power, and from the clamor of the world. This detachment does not mean rejecting the world, but rather seeing through its illusions and finding the sacred in the midst of everyday life. It is in this place of solitude with God that we find our true selves.

“Prayer is not so much a way to find God as a way of resting in Him whom we have found, who loves us, who is near to us, who comes to us to draw us to Himself.” —Thomas Merton

True prayer, then, becomes an act of surrender. Prayer is not about us trying to control or manipulate God into action; rather, it is about allowing God to shape us, to draw us deeper into His love. In prayer, we rest in God’s presence, not as a task to accomplish, but as a relationship to nurture. In this quiet, we find that God is already there, already present, always drawing us into Himself.

“Love is not something we cultivate for its own sake; love is for someone.”
—Thomas Merton

And as we come to know God more intimately, we begin to see that love is the highest calling of the spiritual life. Love is not a mere sentiment or an abstract idea. It is a living force that flows out of our encounter with the Divine. As we grow in love, we begin to see that it is not a commodity to be traded or controlled, but the very nature of God, expressed through us in our relationships with others. To love is to become one with God, who is Love itself.

“The most important thing in prayer is not what we do, but what God does in us without us knowing it.”—Thomas Merton

Let us not forget that spiritual growth often requires patience and stillness. We tend to measure our spiritual progress by external results or experiences, but true transformation happens in the quiet, often beneath the surface of our awareness. God is always at work in us, even when we cannot see it. Spiritual life is about trusting that God is present, working in ways beyond our comprehension, and allowing ourselves to rest in that trust. It is not about striving to achieve something but learning to wait, to be still, and to let God shape us in His time.

We are created in God’s image. Grace is the power that transforms us. Love is the ultimate goal of all things. May we have the courage to surrender, to rest in God’s love, and to let our lives become a reflection of His divine presence.