Finding God in All Things
The Ignatian Vision of a World Transparent to the Divine
Finding God in all things is the distinctive Ignatian conviction that God is present and active everywhere—not only in prayer and sacraments but in work, relationships, nature, and the ordinary events of daily life. Rather than separating "sacred" from "secular," Ignatian spirituality sees all creation as transparent to the divine, inviting the practitioner to recognize, respond to, and cooperate with God's ongoing creative and redemptive action in every moment.
The Foundation: God at Work in the World
Ignatian spirituality begins with a radical affirmation: God is not a distant deity who set the world in motion and withdrew. God is actively laboring in creation at every moment—sustaining, sanctifying, drawing all things to Himself.
"Consider how God dwells in creatures: in the elements, giving them being; in the plants, giving them life; in the animals, giving them sensation; in human beings, giving them understanding... Consider how God labors and works for me in all things created on the face of the earth."
This is not pantheism (God is everything) but panentheism in its orthodox Christian form: God is in all things, and all things are in God, while God remains distinct from and greater than creation. Creation is transparent—we can see through it to the Creator who sustains it.
What This Means
- Every moment is an opportunity for encounter with God
- No sphere of life is "secular" in the sense of being outside God's concern
- Work, recreation, relationships—all can be prayer
- The contemplative life is not withdrawal but deeper engagement
- Nature, art, human creativity all reveal divine glory
How Ignatius Came to This Vision
Ignatius's own spiritual journey led him from extreme asceticism toward a balanced embrace of the world. At Manresa, he practiced fierce penances and long hours of prayer in withdrawal. But over time, he came to see that God was drawing him not away from the world but into it—transformed.
The famous "Illumination of the Cardoner" gave Ignatius a vision of all creation as interconnected in God. After this experience, he could look at anything—a plant, a stone, the stars—and see the handiwork of the Creator. The world became a book in which he could read divine wisdom.
This vision shaped the Jesuits. Unlike monks who withdrew into monasteries, Jesuits moved into cities, universities, courts, mission fields. They were to be "contemplatives in action"—people whose prayer life enabled deeper engagement with the world rather than flight from it.
The Contemplation to Attain Love
The Spiritual Exercises culminate in the "Contemplation to Attain Love" (Contemplatio)—a meditation that teaches the practitioner to find God everywhere. It consists of four "points":
First Point: Recall God's Gifts
Consider all that God has given: creation, redemption, personal graces—your life, your abilities, the people who love you, opportunities for service. Respond with gratitude, offering everything back to God in the Suscipe prayer: "Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will."
Second Point: See God Dwelling in Creation
God dwells in all things—giving being to the elements, life to plants, sensation to animals, understanding to humans. God dwells in you, making you a temple. See this indwelling everywhere; creation becomes transparent to the presence of its Creator.
Third Point: See God Working in Creation
God is not only present but active—laboring in all things, conducting them, giving them their power. The farmer's harvest, the artist's creativity, the scientist's discovery, the parent's love—all are God at work. Join this divine labor; become a collaborator with the one who never stops working.
Fourth Point: See All Gifts Descending from Above
Every good gift flows from the Source of all goodness. Justice, goodness, piety, mercy—all descend from God as rays from the sun, as waters from a spring. Look up and see the fountain from which all blessings flow; look around and see those blessings everywhere.
Finding God in Daily Life
What does this vision look like in practice? Here are concrete ways to cultivate the habit of finding God everywhere:
In Work
Offer your work to God at its beginning. See your tasks as collaboration with divine providence. Notice where your work serves others; that service is love made visible. At day's end, review: Where was God present in my work today?
In Relationships
See Christ in others—especially the difficult ones. "Whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did for me" (Matthew 25:40). Each encounter is an opportunity to serve, to love, to encounter the divine in human form. Listen for what God might be saying through the people you meet.
In Nature
Creation is God's first book. The beauty of a sunset, the order of a snowflake, the power of an ocean—all speak of their Maker. "The heavens declare the glory of God" (Psalm 19:1). Spend time outdoors, not just observing but contemplating—seeing through creation to the Creator.
In Art and Culture
Human creativity reflects divine creativity. Great literature, music, architecture, film—all can open windows to transcendence. Ask: What truth, what beauty, what goodness is revealed here? Even in flawed human works, traces of the divine can be found.
In Suffering
This is the hardest but perhaps most important application. God is present even in suffering—not causing it, but transforming it, redeeming it, using it for growth. The cross stands at the center of Christian faith precisely because God entered into human suffering and brought life from death.
In Ordinary Moments
Brother Lawrence found God while washing dishes. The Jesuit Gerard Manley Hopkins saw "the dearest freshness deep down things." Ordinary moments—eating, walking, waiting—can become prayer when held in conscious awareness of divine presence.
The Examen as Training
The Daily Examen is the practical training ground for finding God in all things. Each day, we review:
- Where did I experience God's presence today?
- In what moments did I feel most alive, most connected, most grateful?
- Where did I respond to grace? Where did I resist it?
- Looking back, where do I now see God was present that I missed at the time?
Over time, this practice develops an "eye" for God—an increasing sensitivity to divine presence that operates not just in prayer time but throughout the day. What begins as reflection after the fact becomes awareness in the moment.
What This Is NOT
"Finding God in all things" can be misunderstood. It is not:
- Not pantheism: God is in all things, but all things are not God. The Creator remains distinct from creation.
- Not a substitute for formal prayer: The rhythm of withdrawal and return remains essential. We need dedicated prayer times to develop the capacity for constant awareness.
- Not ignoring evil: Evil is real. Finding God everywhere doesn't mean pretending that sin, injustice, and suffering don't exist. It means finding God's presence even in the midst of darkness.
- Not spiritualizing everything: Sometimes a sunset is just pretty; not every moment requires heavy theological reflection. The vision is gentle, not forced.
- Not abandoning discernment: Not every interior movement is from God. The practice of finding God everywhere works alongside the Rules for Discernment.
The Fruit of This Vision
Those who cultivate the habit of finding God everywhere typically experience:
Deepening Gratitude
When everything is seen as gift, gratitude becomes a way of life. Small blessings that once went unnoticed become occasions for thanksgiving. The world becomes charged with generosity.
Greater Presence
Paradoxically, attention to God increases attention to the world. The contemplative becomes more present to people, more attentive to situations, more aware of what is actually happening around them.
Motivation for Service
Seeing God at work creates desire to join that work. The magis—the Ignatian drive for "the more"—emerges naturally: If God is laboring in the world, I want to labor alongside.
Peace Amid Activity
Work becomes less frantic when seen as collaboration with God. The practitioner works hard but is not driven; engages fully but is not consumed. Activity flows from contemplation rather than anxiety.
Integration of Life
The split between "spiritual" and "ordinary" life heals. All of life becomes one flowing response to God—work and prayer, action and contemplation, solitude and community—united in a single offering.
Discernment Remains Essential
Finding God in all things requires discernment to distinguish genuine divine presence from projection, wishful thinking, or counterfeit. The broader framework helps:
Discernment in Contemplative Practice →Frequently Asked Questions
How is this different from general awareness of God?
Many Christians believe God is everywhere in a general sense. Ignatian spirituality makes this concrete and practical: specific exercises, daily review, cultivated attention. It moves from belief to experience, from concept to encounter.
What if I try and don't experience anything?
This is normal, especially at first. The capacity develops over time with practice. Don't force it; simply be attentive. Sometimes we recognize God's presence only in retrospect, looking back during the Examen. Patience and persistence matter more than dramatic experiences.
Does this require being constantly aware?
No. Constant conscious attention is neither possible nor expected. The goal is more like a background orientation—a fundamental stance that surfaces periodically throughout the day. Think of it as a baseline awareness rather than unbroken attention.
How does this relate to contemplation in action?
They are closely connected. Finding God in all things is the vision; contemplation in action is the practice of carrying this awareness into daily activity. One provides the theological foundation; the other provides the practical methods.
Related Articles
- The Daily Examen — The practice that trains this vision.
- The Spiritual Exercises — Where the Contemplation to Attain Love is found.
- Contemplation in Action — Carrying inner silence into daily life.
- Ignatius of Loyola — The life that gave birth to this vision.
- Ignatian Spirituality Overview — The complete tradition at a glance.