Stepping from Fog into Sunlight: What is your "Holy Ground" moment?

[bob121]

When the house lights dim and the first chord rings out, something shifts inside me—like stepping from fog into sunlight.

Share your "holy ground" moment: What sound, smell, or sight instantly shifts your perspective and tells you, "I am now in God's presence"?

Is entering worship only in a Church?

Finally, what's one sentence that captures that feeling?

 

[Maria Billingsley]

When the house lights dim and the first chord rings out, something shifts inside me—like stepping from fog into sunlight.

Share your "holy ground" moment: What sound, smell, or sight instantly shifts your perspective and tells you, "I am now in God's presence"?

Is entering worship only in a Church?

Finally, what's one sentence that captures that feeling?

Actually, this may be disappointing, I know I am in God's presence when His Holy Spirit convicts me of sin and I repent from that sin. Pretty powerful when I refuse to go back to that sin. Certainly the will power is not only my doing !
Blessings

 

[ViaCrucis]

This probably isn't the best board for this topic. This is Ethics and Morality, and also your post seems specifically addressed to Christians. You'd get better traction on one of the Christians-only boards focused on life experiences.

On the assumption that mods move this thread somewhere else and this conversation continues, my answer is that I feel like I've experienced something like that in a lot of very different circumstances. But the most consistent is when during the Divine Service the Words of Institution are spoken over the bread and the wine, and as we come forward to receive from the Altar the flesh and blood of Christ I am immediately aware that I am standing on holy ground, I am entering into the Holy of Holies where God offers the gift of Himself, the Incarnate Son of God is present, giving Himself, on the Altar in, with, and under the bread and wine. I am present and in union with all faithful Christians throughout history, as Christ's Body receiving Christ's Body, present at Mt Calvary; Mt. Cavalry present here and now, at this simple offering of bread and wine.

 

[bob121]

Actually, this may be disappointing, I know I am in God's presence when His Holy Spirit convicts me of sin and I repent from that sin. Pretty powerful when I refuse to go back to that sin. Certainly the will power is not only my doing !
Blessings

 

[bob121]

This probably isn't the best board for this topic. This is Ethics and Morality, and also your post seems specifically addressed to Christians. You'd get better traction on one of the Christians-only boards focused on life experiences.

On the assumption that mods move this thread somewhere else and this conversation continues, my answer is that I feel like I've experienced something like that in a lot of very different circumstances. But the most consistent is when during the Divine Service the Words of Institution are spoken over the bread and the wine, and as we come forward to receive from the Altar the flesh and blood of Christ I am immediately aware that I am standing on holy ground, I am entering into the Holy of Holies where God offers the gift of Himself, the Incarnate Son of God is present, giving Himself, on the Altar in, with, and under the bread and wine. I am present and in union with all faithful Christians throughout history, as Christ's Body receiving Christ's Body, present at Mt Calvary; Mt. Cavalry present here and now, at this simple offering of bread and wine.

ViaCrucis, thank you for painting the altar-side scene—“Mt. Calvary present here and now” is exactly the kind of threshold moment I was hoping to collect.
I’ll happily let the mods shuffle the thread if they wish; in the meantime, keep the pictures coming, everyone—sounds, smells, sights, or silent heart-flips that tell you, “I’m on holy ground.”

 

[bob121]

Actually, this may be disappointing, I know I am in God's presence when His Holy Spirit convicts me of sin and I repent from that sin. Pretty powerful when I refuse to go back to that sin. Certainly the will power is not only my doing !
Blessings

Maria Billingsley, that’s the purest worship moment I can imagine—when the Spirit turns the spotlight inward, the knee bows, and grace says, “You’re forgiven—now walk free.”
No organ swell, no stained glass, just conviction → repentance → peace.
Thanks for the honesty; it reminds me the sanctuary is first the heart, then the building.
May that refusal-to-return strength keep multiplying in you—and in me too.

 

[stevevw]

When the house lights dim and the first chord rings out, something shifts inside me—like stepping from fog into sunlight.

Share your "holy ground" moment: What sound, smell, or sight instantly shifts your perspective and tells you, "I am now in God's presence"?

Is entering worship only in a Church?

Finally, what's one sentence that captures that feeling?

For me its music. Music can be spiritual and it can take you to places beyond your surrounding world.

I play the guitar and write songs as a past time and therapy really. I can be learning a song or trying to write a song and be taken away for an hour or two and I feel like I just arrived back on planet earth lol.

I think the beauty of an art like music or painting or any art where you can detach yourself from the world and be taken to some transcendal place is a doorway to spirituality if it is for God or in the spirit of God.

I often get visions or rather concepts of something beyond the world. Or insights about self or the world that cannot be articulated in everyday interactions. In fact they are hard to put into words. Thats why art and for me music is a form of communication. But both ways. It sort of opens the mind to what is beyond.

One sentence I think that captures how music can take me into Gods presense would be a song I have not finished from years ago called 'Shadow of my soul'. The first verse is

I hear a voice thats far away calling out my name and though I can't see anyone I can hear it just the same.
Its singing songs that talk to me calling me back home and penetrates my very being to the shadow of my soul.

Sorry two sentenses but it only makes sense with the whole verse.

But just the song title takes me to a place where it is that the shadow of my soul exists and its where I can expand my world from the world I live in and it brings me peace beyond the world.

 

[Fervent]

I have issues with anxiety, and borderline panic attacks. One thing that I've found works for me extremely well is reciting the Jesus prayer, "Lord Jesus Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner." Most of the time when i do this, I get this sense that I am not alone and my anxiety disappears and is replaced with a sense of bold confidence. I sense the Spirit carrying me, and know that what He wills, He makes provisions for.

 

[bob121]

For me its music. Music can be spiritual and it can take you to places beyond your surrounding world.

I play the guitar and write songs as a past time and therapy really. I can be learning a song or trying to write a song and be taken away for an hour or two and I feel like I just arrived back on planet earth lol.

I think the beauty of an art like music or painting or any art where you can detach yourself from the world and be taken to some transcendal place is a doorway to spirituality if it is for God or in the spirit of God.

I often get visions or rather concepts of something beyond the world. Or insights about self or the world that cannot be articulated in everyday interactions. In fact they are hard to put into words. Thats why art and for me music is a form of communication. But both ways. It sort of opens the mind to what is beyond.

One sentence I think that captures how music can take me into Gods presense would be a song I have not finished from years ago called 'Shadow of my soul'. The first verse is

I hear a voice thats far away calling out my name and though I can't see anyone I can hear it just the same.
Its singing songs that talk to me calling me back home and penetrates my very being to the shadow of my soul.

Sorry two sentenses but it only makes sense with the whole verse.

But just the song title takes me to a place where it is that the shadow of my soul exists and its where I can expand my world from the world I live in and it brings me peace beyond the world.

Steve, that line “penetrates my very being to the shadow of my soul” lands deep—I totally get it.
David’s harp did the same for Saul: one strum and the tormenting spirit lost its grip, because the music carried something (or Someone) bigger than the room.
I’m wired deeply creative too, and whenever I hand the work back to God that same “doorway” stops being escape and becomes embrace—like the Spirit slips inside the art and hands us a glimpse of the real country we’re made for.
Would love to hear the rest of Shadow of My Soul when you finish it; until then, keep letting that far-away Voice call you (and all who believe and trust Christ) home.

 

[stevevw]

Steve, that line “penetrates my very being to the shadow of my soul” lands deep—I totally get it.
David’s harp did the same for Saul: one strum and the tormenting spirit lost its grip, because the music carried something (or Someone) bigger than the room.
I’m wired deeply creative too, and whenever I hand the work back to God that same “doorway” stops being escape and becomes embrace—like the Spirit slips inside the art and hands us a glimpse of the real country we’re made for.
Would love to hear the rest of Shadow of My Soul when you finish it; until then, keep letting that far-away Voice call you (and all who believe and trust Christ) home.

Yeah I will try and find what I have written or finish it. I lost intereswt for a while but started up again. I think we all need some creative outlet. I always think getting back to nature can also bring that spiritual aspect and gives inspiration.

Nothing like gazing up at the night sky out in the country where there is no light pollution. Then you certainly realise theres something beyond. I think this is our spiritual side or our consciousness of God through phenomenal experiences that takes us to this place where our soul exists.

 

[bob121]

Yeah I will try and find what I have written or finish it. I lost intereswt for a while but started up again. I think we all need some creative outlet. I always think getting back to nature can also bring that spiritual aspect and gives inspiration.

Nothing like gazing up at the night sky out in the country where there is no light pollution. Then you certainly realise theres something beyond. I think this is our spiritual side or our consciousness of God through phenomenal experiences that takes us to this place where our soul exists.

Steve, keep strumming and keep looking up—those country-night skies are a cathedral without walls.
Every chord you chase and every star you catch is an echo of the same vastness: we can’t bottle God, but we can let art and night-air carry our wonder back to Him.
Press on—your next note might be the one that helps someone else hear the “something beyond.”