Where does awe actually begin?
Awe begins earlier, when you notice that you are living before the Creator right now and that His wisdom, power, and depth are far beyond what you can fully understand.
You begin to feel, “He is here, my choices matter, and I am living inside a reality He chose to create.”
That is the beginning of awe.
How does appreciation deepen awe and love?
Appreciation can then deepen awe because you start noticing not only the greatness of the Creator, but also the goodness you are receiving from Him.
You notice life, ability, people, opportunities, moments of beauty, and the many things you depend on but did not create for yourself.
That appreciation also deepens love.
Why can love hold both joy and sadness?
Love can contain joy because you feel grateful for the goodness and closeness that are already revealed, but love can also contain sadness because once His goodness matters to you, you begin to feel how much more of it you want revealed.
You may think:
“I wish I knew You more.”
“I wish I felt Your closeness more strongly.”
“I wish more of Your goodness were visible in my life and in the world.”
That sadness can become longing, and longing is one of the raw ingredients of love.
How can sadness deepen awe?
But sadness can also deepen awe.
When the gap between the goodness you see and the goodness you want becomes painful, it can make you look more deeply at the Creator, His wisdom, His purpose, what your choices mean, and how you can help reveal more goodness.
Sadness can therefore create both longing and deeper attention.
It can deepen love by making you desire greater closeness, and deepen awe by making you more aware of the One you are living before.
Does sadness have to turn into awe?
So sadness does not need to turn into awe. Awe already began earlier.
Instead, sadness can deepen a relationship that has already begun.
What is each feeling really saying?
Awe says, “I am living before You.”
Appreciation says, “I notice the goodness I am receiving from You.”
Joy says, “I am grateful for the goodness and closeness already revealed.”
Sadness says, “I want more of Your goodness and closeness to be revealed.”
And longing says, “I want to move closer and help reveal more of it.”
Spiritual growth is not about replacing sadness with joy.
It is about allowing awe, appreciation, joy, sadness, and longing to work together, so the relationship keeps becoming deeper and more of the Creator’s goodness becomes revealed through the way you live.
More guides:
Jewish secret to transform pain into blessing: Your pain isn't random
Trauma takes away your awareness: From what we know about trauma today
Questions people ask
Is sadness the opposite of awe?
No. Awe begins earlier, when you notice that you are living before the Creator right now and that His wisdom and depth are far beyond what you can fully understand. Sadness does not need to turn into awe, because awe already began. Sadness can deepen a relationship that has already started.
What is the difference between sadness and longing?
They are close, but they are not the same. Sadness says, “I want more of Your goodness and closeness to be revealed.” Longing says, “I want to move closer and help reveal more of it.” Sadness can become longing, and longing is one of the raw ingredients of love.
Can sadness bring you closer to the Creator?
Yes. When the gap between the goodness you see and the goodness you want becomes painful, it can make you look more deeply at the Creator, His wisdom, His purpose, and what your choices mean. Sadness then creates both longing and deeper attention, so you want to move closer and help reveal more goodness.
Does spiritual growth mean replacing sadness with joy?
No. Spiritual growth is not about replacing sadness with joy. It is about letting awe, appreciation, joy, sadness, and longing work together, so the relationship keeps becoming deeper and more of the Creator's goodness becomes revealed through the way you live.
“When sadness is met with compassion (listening), it turns into desire for connection, awe, then it turns into gratitude and joy.”
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.