Not everyone arrives at awe in the same way.
Awe is the felt awareness that you are living before the Infinite Creator right now, and that awareness contains wonder, humility, and healthy fear.
How can awe begin with healthy fear?
Some people first notice the seriousness of the relationship.
They think:
“The Creator is truly here.”
“My choices matter before Him.”
“Reality is much greater than what I can understand or control.”
That healthy fear is not panic.
It is the seriousness that comes from realizing that your life is real, your choices have meaning, and you are living before the Creator of existence.
At the same time, wonder grows because the Infinite Creator wants human beings to know Him, choose goodness, and help reveal His purpose.
Humility grows because you realize that you are limited, you do not see the whole story, and you are not in control of reality.
Together, wonder, humility, and healthy fear form awe.
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How can love be the first path to awe?
Other people may approach awe through love first.
They begin by noticing the Creator’s goodness, appreciating life, or feeling a strong desire for more closeness.
They may think:
“I want more of this goodness.”
“I care that more goodness is still hidden.”
“I want to feel closer.”
That sadness is not hopelessness.
It is the pain of caring.
Love already exists, so the person feels the gap between the closeness they have and the closeness they still want.
That sadness can become longing.
And longing can make the person look more deeply at the One they love.
They begin asking:
“How can the Infinite Creator care about my life?”
“How can Someone beyond every description want relationship with me?”
“How can my choices matter before Him?”
Those questions increase wonder.
They also increase humility and healthy fear.
So love can deepen awe.
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Are these two different kinds of awe?
These are not two different kinds of awe.
They are two different ways a person can arrive at the same experience.
One person may first feel the seriousness of standing before the Creator, and from there develop trust, appreciation, and love.
Another person may first notice His goodness, develop love and longing, and then become more aware of the greatness of the One they love.
Both paths eventually come together.
What does awe contain?
Awe contains:
Wonder — the Creator is far beyond what I can fully understand.
Humility — I am limited, I am not the Source, and I do not control reality.
Healthy fear — my choices truly matter before Him.
If you trust He is good, you will feel love.
That intimacy can include:
Joy — some of His goodness and closeness are already revealed.
Sadness — I want more of His goodness revealed.
Longing — I want greater closeness.
Responsibility gives all of this a direction:
“I want my choices to reveal more goodness.”
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Different personalities respond strongly to different ideas.
Is one path to awe better than the other?
Some people first feel the seriousness of standing before the Creator.
Others first feel love for His goodness and then become overwhelmed by the greatness of the One they love.
Neither path is better.
Healthy spirituality brings them together.
How do awe, trust, love, and responsibility work together?
Awe tells you Who you are living before.
Trust lets you stay in the relationship.
Love makes His goodness matter to you.
Sadness can help make you want more of that goodness revealed.
And responsibility turns the relationship into the way you live.
In the Messianic era, this will not remain only an inner experience.
Human awareness, responsibility, compassion, and action will reveal more openly the unity that already holds creation together.
Questions people ask
What does it mean to live before the Infinite Creator?
It means carrying the awareness that He is truly here, that your life is real, that your choices have meaning before Him, and that reality is much greater than what you can understand or control. That felt awareness is awe, and holding it is an emotional skill built on honest noticing rather than on pressure.
Is healthy fear of the Creator the same as panic?
No. Healthy fear is not panic. It is the seriousness that comes from realizing that your life is real, your choices have meaning, and you are living before the Creator of existence. Telling seriousness apart from panic is an emotional skill, and it grows alongside wonder and humility instead of crowding them out.
Why can loving the Creator feel like sadness?
Because love already exists, so a person feels the gap between the closeness they have and the closeness they still want. That sadness is not hopelessness. It is the pain of caring. Feeling sadness safely is an emotional skill, and here it becomes longing that makes you look more deeply at the One you love.
How does responsibility fit into a relationship with the Creator?
Responsibility gives everything else a direction: you want your choices to reveal more goodness. Awe tells you Who you are living before, trust lets you stay in the relationship, and love makes His goodness matter to you. Responsibility is the emotional skill that turns all of that into the way you actually live.
"Awe doesn't feel the same for everyone. Different personalities and meditations. Same relationship with the Creator."
Explore the NextSelf Blog. Start with this post explaining the world of souls. And my Youtube.
The blog lists all the difference patterns to study, understanding patterns is how one can develop 'Daas' [felt knowing].
Update: As awe, trust, and love deepen, they can allow greater openness and intimacy with the Creator. That intimacy can include sadness when you notice how much more of His goodness can be revealed.