Spirituality and Religion: Relationships and Expressions

Introduction

A couple of Sundays ago, on our way to church, I caught a fascinating discussion on the radio about spirituality and religion. The host shared some eye-opening statistics that got me thinking.  

According to a 2020 Pew Research study, 49% of millennials identify as religiously unaffiliated, yet many describe themselves as "spiritual but not religious." Similarly, a 2021 survey by the Springtide Research Institute found that 78% of young people aged 18–25 believe in a higher power, but only 31% regularly attend religious services. Even more interesting, 72% of young people said they feel connected to something greater than themselves, even if they don’t follow a specific religion.  

These stats stayed with me all day. As someone who considers herself both spiritual and religious, I found myself reflecting on the differences between the two. Why are so many young people turning to spirituality for meaning and connection while stepping away from traditional religion? What exactly sets them apart, and why does it matter? Let’s dive in and explore.  

What is Spirituality?

Spirituality is all about relationships—specifically, that deep connection to something greater than yourself. It could be a higher power, the universe, nature, or even the divine essence within.  

At its core, spirituality focuses on meaning and connection. It’s deeply personal and unique to each individual. For some, it might involve meditation, prayer, or spending quiet moments in nature. For others, it could mean journaling, practicing mindfulness, or simply being present in the moment.  

Like any meaningful relationship, spirituality requires nurturing. But when you invest in it, the rewards are profound. It can make you feel purposeful, grounded, and deeply connected to the world around you. In many ways, spirituality gives life its meaning.  

What is Religion?

Religion, on the other hand, is a way to express and celebrate your relationship with a higher power through shared beliefs, rituals, and traditions.  

It often involves structured practices like prayer, worship, or ceremonies, and it thrives in community settings where people come together to honor and express their faith. Sacred texts, teachings, and traditions provide guidance on how to nurture these connections.  

In essence, religion offers tools, community, and rituals to help you deepen and celebrate your spiritual relationships. It’s like a framework that supports and amplifies your spiritual journey.  

How Are They Connected, and Why Does It Matter?

Here’s the thing: spirituality is the *why*, and religion is the *how*. Spirituality is the foundation upon which religion is built.  

But historically, this hasn’t always been the case—and that’s why so many people have turned away from organized religion. 

Take my story, for example. I grew up in a Christian household, so religion was a big part of my life from an early age. I went to church, participated in sacraments, and followed the rituals of Catholicism. But back then, my practice of religion wasn’t rooted in my own personal relationship with God. It was based on my parents’ faith. They took me to church, and I simply went along. Sound familiar? I’m sure this resonates with many who grew up in religious households.  

The problem is, without a strong spiritual foundation, religion can feel hollow. For many, the absence of that personal connection is what eventually leads them to walk away. The foundation just wasn’t there—or if it was, it was shaky at best.  

But here’s the good news: there’s a shift happening, especially among younger generations. Many are now seeking spirituality first, building that personal connection, and *then* exploring religion as a way to express it. And it shows in the quality of their faith—it’s strong, authentic, and deeply rooted because the foundation is solid.  

There’s a popular concept in the professional world called “Start with Why.” It’s all about understanding the purpose behind what you do. I think this applies perfectly to spirituality and religion. When you’re clear on the *why*—your spiritual foundation—the *how* (religion) naturally follows.  

Conclusion

Spirituality is about the relationships that give your life meaning, while religion is one way to celebrate and express those relationships.  

Think of it like building a house: spirituality is the foundation, and religion is the structure. If the foundation is shaky, the house won’t stand for long. But when the foundation is strong, the structure can thrive.  

So, start with the *why*. Nurture your spiritual connections, and let them guide you. Whether you find expression through religion, nature, meditation, or something else entirely, the key is to build on a solid foundation. When you do, you can’t go wrong.

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Say my Name

In the recent past, exotic traditional names  seems to have become a thing. I see a lot of parents coming up with really exotic traditional names for their children.

I don’t think this was always the case, at least not for some generations past. 

So considering this, I always thought my parents did well because for their first three kids, they managed to come up with what I consider as unique and cool names, at least for their generation: Chinemerem, Nkeonyezuruya and Udoamaka.

So I was truly disappointed that all they could come up with when I was born was Uchechi. I mean as far as Igbo names go, it doesn’t get more common. It’s so common that it is answered both by males and females. Truly disappointing 😭😭😭

But then I received understanding 🧐and insight 🤓 about what my name stands for, and I have keyed into it so much that nothing else will do now.

So please feel free to say my name: Uchechi - God’s will, The Mind of God.

May his will reign supreme above all things for me and mine, and for you and yours.

Wishing you a joyous and peaceful Christmas celebration.

Photocredit: manfredsteger @Pixabay

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Miss the Hugs.

 

2020, the year of lockdown, isolation and social distancing.

Having spent almost all year living through computer, tablet and phone screens either for work or catching up with family, I am completely zoomed and screened out.

Looking back on this year, I realize what I have missed most is physical contact with people. I am a hugger, always have been, and not being able to express my self through physical contact has taken a toll.

Looking forward to a more physical and less social distanced 2021, until then let’s keep keeping safe.

Photo credit: Immo Wegman on Unsplash.

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All Change Please

Many of us have experienced being on a bus or train or plane which we boarded because it was going to a particular destination, which was either our final destination or en-route our desired destination.   

Partway into the journey we are told the bus or train or plane can no longer continue to that destination, for whatever reason, and everyone is expected to disembark and find an alternative means of getting to their desired destination.

Sometimes the alternative is provided, sometimes not. More often than not the change comes with an adverse impact on our time and our resources, both financial and otherwise, and bucketloads of inconvenience.

Our typical response when this happens is to rant. I certainly do so and do not mince words while expressing my displeasure, sometimes using words that are against my personal principles.

But what I don’t do is refuse to get off the bus, train or coach; because whether I like it or not, or whether I accept it or not, that bus or train or plane is no longer capable of getting me to my destination. So while ranting and expressing my displeasure, at the same time I am already looking for alternative options; because though that path or route may no longer be valid, my destination still is and I must keep going anyway and anyhow possible until I get there.

Of course there are occasions when a mishap on our journey may cause us to rethink the entire journey; but once the conclusion is reached that the destination remains valid, then we must find a way to proceed.

So why do we not respond the same way when life throws curve balls at us and causes or forces us to make a change? Why do we stay stuck, immobile and refuse to see that change is required and we must make that change because quite frankly that is the only option available to us?

So many of us are stuck in things, in  situations and in experiences that are at a dead end. Though we had intended that those things or situations or experiences will take us to a desired destination, for whatever reason something has changed and that thing or situation or experience is no longer capable of getting us to our desired destination. 

But rather than read the situation and make the required change to get us back on track, we stay stuck. Like remaining on the platform of a train we’ve been told is not going any further, or in the lounge of a plane that has been grounded. No matter how long we stay there, the outcome will not change. We might as well have boarded a bus or train or plane that is going nowhere. 

By all means rant and vent if that helps you express your displeasure and get things off your chest, but most importantly get back on track. Get back on a route or a path that gets you to your destination because though you may have lost time, though it may cost a bit more physically, mentally, psychologically and financially, when you get to your destination it’ll be all worth it.

May God bless us all.

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Doing Life Alone.

 

Photo credit: Anthony Tran on Unsplash.

Not everyone who is alone is lonely, some have chosen to be alone and would have it no other way. But when it’s a state that you have not necessarily chosen for yourself or would not like to be in, it is a struggle. A BIG ONE.

Loneliness is a war, one of many fought in the battle of life. It is intense in its relentlessness. It seeks to draw you into its abyss and if you allow it to succeed, it’ll chew you up and spit your carcass out. 

I wish at this point I could give a ‘formula’, something ‘magical’ that you could do to miraculously make the feeling disappear. But I do not know of any, don’t even know if any such thing exists. 

All I know is that when loneliness comes knocking and seeks to pull me into its abyss, I fight against it with everything I’ve got. I refuse to let it get the better of me, to pull me down, to faze me or wear me out. I fight to pull myself up and out because I believe that it is a phase. And with all phases, it too shall pass.

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The Ultimate Giveaway.

Picture Credit: 123RF.com

Giveaways are now a common feature on social media. Not even sure how it became a ‘thing’, but I suppose it’s a guaranteed way of growing one’s social media following as these giveaways are often with a pre-requisite that you follow a particular handle or account or subscribe to a particular channel. Also not everyone who meets the criteria receives the giveaway because there is a random selection for ‘winners’.

When we think about all this level of uncertainty and probability, isn’t it nice to know that there is a giveaway that is guaranteed?

Grace is the only guaranteed giveaway, God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Christ has already paid the price for this giveaway, all we need to do is collect. 

But we cannot collect without indicating interest and the way we indicate interest is by accepting Christ as Lord and Savior. This is the only qualification required. The same way no one can dream about winning the lottery if he hasn’t at least purchased a ticket or being given one, so also the ultimate giveaway requires us to confess with our mouth that Jesus is the Christ and believe it with our hearts.

By all means partake of and enjoy the many giveaways that happen on social media, if that is your thing; but it will make no sense to miss out on the one guaranteed giveaway, The Ultimate Giveaway.

God bless us all.

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Pleasure in Little Things. Episode 1

Photo credit: Reiseuhu from Unsplash

My morning wake up song. 

Gosh, it’s been ages I posted on this blog. I definitely need to do better so I’m thinking of changing direction a little bit. Rather than think of ‘big things’ to write about so that I sound a little bit intelligent, focus on the many little things that often go unnoticed and/or unsaid and leave the big things to the intellectuals. 

So today I want to share what happens to me most mornings. More often than not, I wake up with a song in my head and that song will become my companion for the rest of the day (i.e. repeat mode on my phone or my Amazon echo device). It could be a pick me up song, or a calm me down song, or just a motivational song to ease me into the day. Because music is my go to anytime any day, whatever song comes to me is always apt for wherever my head and my heart is at that time. 

I suppose I am not alone in this, who else experiences this? Please share. By the way my wake up song today is ‘Christ is Enough’ by Hillsong (https://youtu.be/teUxQpnhezY). This one got me dancing. Enjoy and make time to enjoy the little things.

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Lockdown, and Remembering Mr L

When I moved into my house I inherited some furniture, paintings, a high maintenance garden and a shed full of DIY tools. I tried to get the solicitor to get it all cleared out before I moved in but it wasn’t done, so it was left to me to sort out.

The furniture and paintings were easy to take care of, I kept those I wanted and sent the rest to a charity shop. My plan was to turn the garden into a low maintenance outdoor space but to start with, I just had it cleared out. The shed was a bit tricky. My plan was to get rid of it lock, stock and barrel as my level of DIY is minimal or almost non-existent. But even I could see the value of tools in my inherited shed and that it would be a DIY lover’s haven. So I let it be, until I would have the time to take care of it one way or another.

A couple of months ago I had spoken to some friends, offering barbecue and beer in exchange for labour clearing out my garden and the shed. I even offered to throw in one tool of their choice from my overstocked shed. Alas corona virus happened and brought with it a lockdown. My friends couldn’t come around to help and realizing there was not much to do during a lockdown weekend especially when the weather is nice, I decided to give it a go myself with help from my housemate.

As I sorted through the shed, I caught a glimpse into the life of Mr L, the man who had left behind all those things. I could see he was very much a handyman and realized some of the furniture I had inherited had been made right there in my shed. The garden I had taken apart without a second thought had been his haven and I found compost, some seedlings and flower food he had obviously planned to use. There was an unopened amazon parcel containing a part for an equipment I didn’t know what it is used for waiting to be fixed. There was wood and paint perhaps to make another piece of furniture.

As I went through all these things I discovered a little about Mr L, a man I had never known. And I felt sorry that I had planned to get rid of all that stuff with perfunctory thought. So while cleaning out the shed I agreed with Mr L that I was going to keep some of the tools and start to try my hand at some DIY. And who knows, hubby dearest when he shows up may be a lot more into it and he’ll have a variety of tools to use to his heart’s content.

As I closed the shed door I thought I would  start my DIY foray by painting the shed. That should make Mr L happy.

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When you don’t know, but you know.

The parish priest at mass today just got back from Italy yesterday (and no, we didn’t all run out of church when he told us 😁), but he mentioned how much uncertainty he had experienced in the past week because while in Italy he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to make it back to the UK as scheduled. The corona virus situation was changing so rapidly in Italy, he didn’t know if something would happen that would cause him to be quarantined. He was already thinking of how much he had to do and how much he’ll need to reschedule if for some reason his plans had to change as a result of the situation with the virus.

He finally got on a plane heading to London and while in transit, the plane experienced such severe turbulence that he started thinking again to himself all that would happen, or not happen, if he didn’t arrive home as planned. But he did get home on schedule and as planned and he shared in retrospect if he had known for certain what the outcome of these two scenarios were going to be, he would have spent less or no time thinking or worrying about them and definitely no effort trying to reorganize his schedule just in case he got delayed.

This certainty in knowing the outcome, despite the uncertainty and even turbulence in going through the process is akin to ‘When you don’t know, but you know’.

Hearing Fr’s experience reminded me of so many whom I know who are waiting for, working towards or looking forward to something in anticipation. How sometimes the uncertainty and turbulence in the process can cause you to doubt that you will arrive at the expected outcome, you will get that which you have waited on, worked for or sought after.

So to myself and to all those who this might resonate with I say these words of encouragement: We may know nothing about the process, it may be fraught with uncertainty, difficulty, lack of clarity, pain, sweat and tears; that’s okay. Because we know what we know, we know the outcome. And the only reason we can be so confident about the outcome is because “We know in whom we have believed, in whom we have put our trust “ 2 Timothy 1:12; and we know the plans he has for us are “plans to bring us prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future we hope for” Jeremiah‬ ‭29:11‬ ‭GNBDK‬‬.

So with confidence and certainty in the outcome we can go through the process, turbulent and uncertain though it may be. For though we may not know; but we know.

God bless us all.

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Course Correct

Everyone makes mistakes, of varied proportions. Some are easily glossed over, some are game changers and have life changing consequences. 

That a mistake was made is nothing to dwell excessively on, what is most important is what has happened afterwards; the ability for one to ‘Course Correct’. No matter how grave or serious a mistake was or is, it’s gravity can be heightened depending on the actions that follow from it.

The aim is to learn from it, dwell on it no more and move on. That is what you owe yourself.

Of course there are people who, no matter how much you have course corrected, will always refer to your mistake. No matter how much you have moved on, their aim is to take you back. In their minds, there is no differentiation between you and the mistake. They never see you as what you have become or trying to become, they only see the mistake which you have left behind. 

You do not owe anything to those who are incapable of seeing, appreciating and supporting your ‘Course Correction’. If they are still able to see your ‘Red light’, it means they have stayed behind you. So leave them behind as you move on. 

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