A student asked his spiritual teacher one day, “How do I find God?”

The teacher pondered for a moment, and then replied, “I’ll show you later.”

Puzzled, but obedient, the student patiently waited for an explanation.

Several days later, the two were swimming in a pond. Without any warning, the teacher grabbed the head of his student and plunged it into the water causing the young man to flail and fight for freedom in order to breathe.

The teacher refused to let go.

The student, bewildered, and rapidly growing desperate for air tried with all his might to break free of the man’s lock-grip. But to no avail. Finally, the mentor let go, and the student burst upward gasping for air.

“Why did you do that?” the student vehemently protested.

“Why did you struggle so?” the teacher replied.

“Because I wanted to breathe!” the student declared.

The teacher said, “You asked last week, ‘How do I find God?”

He continued, “Now I’ve shown you. When you struggle and fight to know God like you just fought for breath, you’ll find His presence.”