"Mankind can never discover divinity except through the avenue of religious experience and by the exercise of true faith." 101:10.4 (1116.5)
Human beings have achieved remarkable success in exploring the material universe. Through science, reason, and observation, we have uncovered countless truths about the physical world. Yet there are realities that lie beyond the reach of microscopes, telescopes, and mathematical formulas. Divinity belongs to this higher realm of experience. God cannot be fully discovered as one discovers a new continent or proves a scientific theory. Divine reality must be approached through a different avenue—the avenue of personal religious experience.
Faith serves as the bridge between the visible and the invisible, between the known and the yet-to-be-discovered. True faith is not blind belief or wishful thinking; it is the soul's response to spiritual reality. As individuals choose to trust higher values, seek truth sincerely, and open themselves to divine guidance, they begin to experience realities that transcend purely material understanding. What was once a concept becomes a conviction, and what was once a belief gradually becomes a personal experience.
This is why religious experience occupies such a central place in spiritual growth. No one can experience God on another person's behalf. Spiritual truths may be taught, discussed, and shared, but the discovery of divinity ultimately occurs within the heart of the individual. Through prayer, worship, service, reflection, and living faith, the soul awakens to the presence of a loving Father. In that awakening, faith ceases to be merely a belief about God and becomes a living relationship with God.