Divine Values Give Your Life New Meaning
Content
A spiritual life requires spiritual goals, and such goals are defined by what we value in life. The values we assign to things, people, and events are important because they determine not only our priorities but also how we judge the world around us.
Even so, things have value and meaning only within the scope of human experience, spiritual or not. That is to say, they have no value or meaning except for those we give them. Values do not exist in a purely materialistic and animalistic world, nor are they inherent in the sciences, mathematics, or any avenue of scientific research. The facts of science, as well as historical events, have no intrinsic value in and of themselves.
Meanings and values are mental constructs, but they are real nonetheless—they are subjective, experiential, and supermaterial realities. Of all visible life on this planet, only humans are capable of attributing meaning and value to any aspect of physical, mental, or spiritual reality. This capacity alone is enough to demonstrate our spiritual roots.
Humans recognize the meanings of symbols, which is why we can master a complex language, use mathematical equations, or comprehend the meaning of meanings. The ability to recognize and use symbols is indicative of self-consciousness, reflective thinking, and intellectual insight—mental qualities that are not only superanimal but also supermaterial and supernatural—they are spiritual.
The meanings and values we ascribe to things, actions, and events strongly influence our goals and motivations in life. But, like everything else in an ever-changing life, our perceptions change too. The things we valued in our childhood are not necessarily the things we value later in life. And things that were meaningful to us when we were teenagers may not be as meaningful when we later become parents ourselves.
Spirituality enhances the ability to discover beauty in things, recognize truth in meanings, and discover goodness in values.
– The Urantia Book
The Meaning of a Spiritual Life
We can look at the meaning of a thing from different perspectives. One way is to look at the meaning of a word, such as its definition in a dictionary. Another is to try to decipher the meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or essay—what someone is trying to say. And another is to interpret the meaning of a thing by its relation to something else, such as the meaning of its existence.
Using the dictionary approach, we are simply trying to understand the common interpretation of a word. We wish to understand how the word is used, defined, or explained. We may, for instance, wish to understand faith, the soul, personality, or spirituality. Such meanings are important because we cannot truly grasp what someone is trying to say unless we have common ground.
In addition to various definitions of words, there are also differing levels of meaning depending on the object, or context, of a sentence. We could say, for example, “I love chocolate ice cream” or “I love my child.” Both examples are typical uses of the word love, but each embodies a different level of meaning. If I ask which level of love, or expression of love, is the most meaningful to you, most of us would choose the love of a child over that of chocolate ice cream, especially if you have ever been a parent.
However, when we ask a question such as, “What is the meaning of life?”, we are not concerned with the dictionary meaning. We are asking, “What is life’s purpose?” or “Why do we exist?” We are asking for the meaning of life in relation to the entirety of existence—does it have an ultimate value, purpose, or objective? From a spiritual perspective, these are the kinds of meanings we wish to explore.
Questions about the meaning of life may sound like tired clichés, but nothing is more depressing than a life without meaning. Such inquiries have long been a topic of philosophical discussion, and the study could fill whole libraries. But to make a very long story very short, if there is any purpose to human existence, it is impossible for us mere mortals to know what it is unless it is revealed to us from on high. We did not create ourselves and, therefore, we cannot possibly know if there is any ultimate intention for our existence.
This leads us to conclude that any satisfactory answer to the meaning of life requires reference to a universal, personal, and intentional Agent that must have existed before, and is independent of, the existence of human life itself. In other words, the ultimate meaning of life can be answered only with reference to a Supreme Being.
This leaves us with two avenues of thought. The first is that there is no higher Being, and life is a cosmic accident, so we will never know if life has any meaning. The second is that there is a greater Being who created life and reveals that life is meaningful—that we have a meaningful purpose and a meaningful destiny.
In the first instance, we can only conclude that, without divine purpose, all human conduct is motivated by self-interest (cynicism). And without divine values, we are encouraged to think that all values are relative and therefore unfounded; in other words, that existence is senseless and useless (nihilism). Both cynicism and nihilism are materialist philosophies that deny the purpose and potential of a spiritual life. But it comes as no surprise that these gloomy outlooks often lead to depression and anxiety
But nihilism ultimately proves to be a shortsighted view of reality because even a nihilist cannot negate the reality of his own thoughts. And if his beliefs, values, and thoughts are unfounded and unreal, then his philosophy of nihilism would also be unreal.
If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning.
– C. S. Lewis
The second avenue of thought—that there is a Supreme Being and life is purposeful and meaningful—cannot be substantiated (objectively) any more than the view that life is meaningless. But it is a truth that we can recognize and experience in our inner lives.
Those who know God have experienced the fact of his presence.
– The Urantia Book
Having a faithful optimism in the divine plan and in the goodness of the Divine Source leads to inner peace, confidence, self-esteem, and happiness. And this is true for the simple reason that it is in harmony with the truth. Even though we may not know the full particulars of why our lives are meaningful, we can rest assured that there is some greater and divine purpose to our existence on this earth.
Believing that life is meaning-full is a way of filling our lives with meaning, specifically spiritual meaning, which is itself derived from spirit contact and spirit guidance. But not all philosophers agree with this view. Some maintain that people who believe they are spirit-led are simply avoiding responsibility for their behavior by giving themselves up to an ultimate authority like God, who then controls them or gives them answers.
But if we follow this line of reasoning, then taking advice from any source—lawyers, doctors, or psychologists—would be an attempt to avoid responsibility for our actions. The truth is, we are accepting responsibility for the course of our lives by looking up to the wisdom and counsel of the spiritual realm in our search for meaningful answers.
Discovering new meanings is not limited to finding new facts or having unique experiences. It is more about discovering new meanings in the everyday facts and experiences already well known to us. It is the delightful discovery of profound spiritual meaning in a mundane world.
Consider the possibility of finding new spiritual meanings in marriage, family, or rearing children. Look for enhanced meanings in your daily work, in leisure time, or when helping others. Discover more transcendent meanings in commonplace words such as honesty, goodness, patience, tolerance, loyalty, truth, and courage.
Grow spiritually and help others to do so. It is the meaning of life.
– Leo Tolstoy
One spiritual exercise is to consider the different levels of meaning associated with the Golden Rule: Treat others as you would like them to treat you. At a low level of understanding, a person who likes having his back scratched may think he should scratch the backs of others. But on a more sublime level of understanding, this individual realizes he should treat everyone with respect and kindness, just as he would like to be treated. And on an even more profound level of spiritual meaning, he realizes he should treat others as God would treat them, as a Divine Parent treats them—with love, patience, compassion, and understanding.
The Value of a Spiritual Life
Meanings and values shape our decision-making, which in turn determines the course of our lives. If we honestly believe, for instance, that life is all about money, then money will be our prime goal as well as our prime value-motivator in life.
How the love of money influences our individual values is reflected in the dark humor of the “Ferengi Rules of Acquisition” as enacted in theStar Trek film series. Some of these rules are: trust is the biggest liability—a man is only worth the sum of his possessions—exploitation begins at home—never place friendship above profit.
To a moral mind, these quips may sound humorous, but to a mind dominated by greed and selfishness, they could make sense. The caveat is that any value system dominated solely by material gain or a self-centered lifestyle cannot persist for long in a progressive civilization because it doesn’t work for the benefit of all. It is not only unreasonable, but also spiritually unreal.
As we have seen, some philosophers reject meanings and values not only because they are not objectively real (like a rock), but also because they are relative. The fundamental argument in relativism is that, because we all see things differently, there can be no absolute value or truth, only relative ones. The danger with this approach is that anything goes—one value, no matter how immoral, is as legitimate as another. It is a dismal view that tends to devalue human life.
In the God experience, we fully acknowledge that truth is relative. But the crucial difference is that we also believe in the reality of absolute values—the divine values inherent in the nature of God—truth, beauty, goodness, and love. These are the absolute values and ideals of perfection that make up our spiritual framework; they are the yardsticks by which we measure our thoughts and actions. Divine values are not an arbitrary framework of moral codes; instead, they provide the very foundation for all moral codes.
The first principle of value that we need to rediscover is this: that all reality hinges on moral foundations.
– Martin Luther King Jr.
The human mind does not create divine values; it can only discover, recognize, interpret, and choose among them. No doubt, our differing perceptions of value are subjective and relative, but this does not detract from their absolute reality in God. For instance, even though our perception of the physical universe is limited and relative, few would deny that it exists.
Most of us have a good grasp of divine values, even if we are unaware of them. And this is due to the untiring work of our Spirit Guides. But we can reach even deeper realizations through spiritual communion—meditation, contemplation, prayer, and worship.
As used here, communion does not refer to a Christian sacrament but rather to conventional meanings such as intimate fellowship, rapport, or sharing. Other meanings include cooperation, communication, interaction, and togetherness.
Communion with God is no more than sharing your life with the Divine Source within you. And by this simple act, you gain a greater appreciation for the divine values of spiritual existence. You begin to see life and the universe through spiritual eyes, which allows you to transcend the material world to some degree and thereby, to re-evaluate yourself, your family, and your society more objectively. Your new spiritual evaluations, in turn, provide you with new direction.
A highly developed values system is like a compass. It serves as a guide to point you in the right direction when you are lost.
– Idowu Koyenikan
Four Divine Values
We can achieve a remarkable degree of spiritual growth by gauging our thoughts, feelings, and actions with four divine values—truth, beauty, goodness, and love. At first glance, these appear simple and obvious. But it requires sincere self-reflection and deep contemplation to make them integral components of our spiritual lives.
Divine values are not naturally inherent in the physical brain, nor are they a part of the physical universe; nonetheless, they are realities—they are divine realities. These realities originate in the Divine Source of all reality and come to our minds through the inner workings of the Spirit.
Cultivating divine values in our thoughts provides us with a moral framework that guides our decisions in everyday life; they are a means of making our highest ideals a living reality. Such vital decisions augment our soul growth and open our minds to profound spiritual insights and a higher sense of God consciousness.
Read: God Consciousness
Contemplating these four divine values and making them an indispensable part of our inner lives is a highly effective way of coming into harmony with the nature and character of the Spirit within you. This is how we become spiritually mature.
It’s easy to gloss over these values by assuming we know what they mean. But our spiritual objective is to delve deep into each one and consider how we can integrate them into our own personalities.
Truth, beauty, goodness, and love are viewed differently by different people, so let’s have a look at these values from a spiritual viewpoint
Truth Is More Than Fact
Truth is a divine value that can be discerned in mind and expressed in life by all who remain open-minded—open to new knowledge, new meanings, new values, and new truths. The Spirit of Truth lives within you, and it will guide you to the truth if your mind is open.
Those who have failed to work toward the truth have missed the purpose of living.
– Buddha
Truth is more than mere knowledge; an accumulation of facts. Facts may be true, but they are not necessarily the whole truth because, by themselves, they tell us little about patterns, relationships, and associations that may exist among and between facts. Discerning truth is an attempt to evaluate the parts as well as the cosmological whole—to grasp the big picture.
There are many kinds of facts, such as scientific facts, historical facts, and social facts. Each fact is an isolated, static bit of knowledge, whereas truth is dynamic, discovering relationships and associations between these fact-bits.
For example, archaeological evidence for the evolution of human societies includes artifacts, structures, and geological data. But in and of themselves, they do not tell us much. Only when we interpret these facts in the context of their spatial and temporal associations can we determine relationships, social and economic functions, and how societies have changed over time.
Truth can be absolute, but in a time-space universe, it is relative; it is conditioned by continuously changing facts and events. Truth is flexible, yet progressive—it adapts and evolves as humanity’s awareness of the cosmos evolves. Our ‘truths’ will always be relative to the extent of our knowledge, experience, insight, and wisdom.
Nonetheless, there are valid statements of absolute truth, such as “gravity attracts” or “wheels are round.” And there are many absolute truths we can understand, such as “I exist,” or “God is love.” Even if we disagree with specific statements such as these, any argument that claims there is no such thing as absolute truth is, in itself, a claim to absolute truth.
Even though heaven and earth shall pass away, my words of truth shall not.
– Jesus of Nazareth
Goodness Is More Than Being Nice
God is supremely good and the source of all goodness. By venerating goodness, you become good—you come to understand, to love, and to help others whenever and wherever you can. There is goodness in love, goodness in beauty, goodness in truth, and goodness in a spirit-led life.
Goodness is inherent in the personality of God—a goodness manifesting as parental love, compassion, and forgiveness (see God Is Someone). Through spiritual experiences, we soon realize the truth of divine goodness. And this insight into the infinite and eternal goodness of Divinity is what inspires us to be good.
Being good means that, no matter what troubles we encounter, no matter how evil others may be, no matter what injustice we suffer, we always return goodness. Being good despite all circumstances is a reliable indicator of our spiritual progress.
Goodness begets goodness, but to the one who is truly good, evil also begets goodness.
– Lao Tzu
Beauty Is Spirit Deep
Beauty is a divine value because Spirit life is the epitome of beauty—there is nothing more beautiful in all creation than the perfection of divinity—the beauty of God. Beauty comes to us in many forms, not just in the marvel of nature but also in our own artistic creations. Yet notions of beauty far transcend the material world; beauty of thought, beauty of action, beauty of spirit, and the beauty of divine love are just as real as the beauty of a lotus flower.
As with all divine values, the Spirit Within enables us to recognize and appreciate true beauty. We express spiritual beauty through actions and words by being beautiful in our inner lives and gracious in our outer lives. All spiritual achievements are divinely beautiful.
Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, for beauty is God’s handwriting.
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
Beauty manifests in wonderful ways—truth is beautiful, love is beautiful, and compassion is beautiful. There is beauty in harmony, beauty in rhythm, and beauty in symmetry. Divinity is beautiful, wisdom is beautiful, and the creative patterns of the universe are beautiful. Learn to fully appreciate the spiritual beauty of the universe and to recreate and manifest this beauty in your daily life.
Love Binds It All Together
Love dominates all divine values. It is the ultimate spiritual force—a dynamic and irresistible power that embraces and unifies all other divine values. Love is the outward, living expression of truth, beauty, and goodness. It is a rule for living that provides the highest motivation for all who choose to walk the Spirit Path.
Love is God’s divine attitude to all personalities, a love best understood as compassionate love—as parental love. The love of God defines the supreme relationship among all individuals from every culture and all nations.
Love is the greatest of all spirit realities.
– The Urantia Book
Even if you have never been a parent, you can still appreciate the depth of parental love. And you can let it shine in your own life, first by graciously accepting it, and then by graciously giving it to others. Love is not something you possess—it is something you share.
Spiritual love is not a frailty. Any mature expression of love is assertive and practical, not fawning and fanciful. Divine love is intelligently applied, disciplined, compassionate, affectionate, and wise.
Creating Goals From Values
Our values go hand in hand with our ideals, and together they shape how we see the world and, to a great degree, how we define our ambitions and goals in life. The objective of the God experience is to cultivate spiritual values and ideals, and an effective way to make them part of our lives is by visualizing them. This is a constructive exercise yielding practical results.
Read: Creative Imagination as a Spiritual Technique
Many unnecessary problems result from a lack of worthy goals or ideals. For example, a poll by AP-NORC (June 2022) found that 85 percent of Americans say the country is heading in the wrong direction. This is an interesting fact, but there is no mention of what conditions or goals would define the right direction. Only by taking the time to clearly visualize ideal governments, ideal economic systems, ideal social systems, or an ideal spiritual life can we ever hope to achieve such objectives.
It is not only important to clearly conceptualize our present ideals but also to reach for the highest virtues of divinity we can imagine. And this is true because it is difficult, if not impossible, for us to ascend any higher in our spiritual evolution than our highest ideals will allow.
Our ultimate goal of spiritual betterment is to become progressively more spiritual, an ideal that finds expression in our outer lives. This is the supreme aim of any worthwhile self-improvement program. It is an attempt to become more like the Divine Spirit that lives within us, at least in terms of spiritual meanings and values.
Spiritual Priorities
You cannot serve two masters. You cannot bow down to Mammon, the god of material wealth, while pretending to worship the God of Light and Life. It’s just not possible to have true peace of mind when you have one foot stuck in the mud of materialism while the other seeks firm ground on the rock of spiritual ideals.
Divided loyalties give rise to internal conflicts and unsound judgments. But you can overcome your inner discord and succeed in spirit by being completely loyal to spiritual values, regardless of the circumstances. Loyalties cannot be divided, and the highest devotion is best given to the God of universal love.
There is nothing unspiritual about being highly successful in life or having riches—it is simply a matter of priorities. Self-respect and wealth do not impede our spiritual growth, but self-importance and the love of wealth do.
We do not have a money problem in America. We have a values and priorities problem.
– Marian Wright Edelman
Ambition is a wonderful motivator that should never be inhibited, but self-centered ambition is harmful, not only to yourself but to those around you. If you are obsessed with personal gain at a cost to others, you can hardly claim to be walking the path to God. Having said that, it is still possible to be both ambitious and selfless. It all depends on your goals and priorities.
