Faith reveals what logic cannot
Sri Yukteswar, a revered Indian yogi of the late 19th and early 20th century, was known as a bridge-builder between East and West. He was the guru of Paramahansa Yogananda, whose book Autobiography of a Yogi has inspired countless seekers. Though rooted in the ancient teachings of yoga, Sri Yukteswar often pointed to the harmony between yogic wisdom and the Bible. He taught that the presence of God cannot be proven by science or grasped by the intellect, but can be directly experienced in the stillness of the soul.
We spend so much of our lives trying to figure God out. Books are written, arguments are staged, science is stretched to its limits, all in an effort to prove or disprove His existence. It’s almost as if we’re trying to capture the ocean in a teacup — confining the infinite within the fragile limits of our intellect.
But God was never meant to be measured by our instruments or contained in our logic. As Sri Yukteswar once said, “God cannot be surmised.” He cannot be proven in a laboratory or dissected by human thought.
And yet, He can be experienced.
Jesus told us, “The kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21). Paul reminded us, “In Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). The presence of God is not something we need to hunt down with tools or theories; it is already within us, waiting to be recognized.
When we stop striving to “figure Him out” and instead quiet our minds, open our hearts, and allow ourselves to rest in His presence, we discover what words and proofs never could. We encounter the Living God firsthand.
Reflection
Where in your life are you still trying to “capture the ocean in a teacup”? What would it look like to release the need to figure everything out and instead open yourself to God’s presence within you today?
Prayer
Father, forgive me for the times I’ve tried to contain You in my small thoughts and limited understanding. Teach me to seek not proof, but Presence. Let me rest in the truth that You are within me, closer than breath, wider than the ocean. Amen.
