God as Ground of Being: The ultimate source and foundation of existence

The concept of God as the “Ground of Being” invites us to move beyond images of God as a distant, anthropomorphic deity and to instead consider the Divine as the ultimate source and foundation of all that exists. This term is attributed to theologian Paul Tillich (1886-1965), although the concept was also explored by the 13th-century German mystic Meister Eckhart and many others. The Ground of Being portrays God not as a being among other beings, but as Being itself—the very essence and sustaining power underlying everything in creation

To understand God as the Ground of Being is to recognize that existence itself is rooted in the Divine. This perspective suggests that all things—living and nonliving—derive their reality and purpose from this eternal source. In this framework, God is not separate from creation but is intimately interwoven with it, serving as the life-force that sustains and permeates all. As the apostle Paul expressed, “In Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28), and “God is through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:6).

This view profoundly impacts how we relate to God, ourselves, and the world. If God is the Ground of Being, then every aspect of existence becomes sacred. The interconnectedness of life is not merely a poetic idea; it is a spiritual truth. When we embrace this perspective, we come to see that our lives are not lived apart from God but in God, who is the source of all love, beauty, and meaning.

Understanding God in this way also dissolves the dualism that often separates the sacred from the secular. Every moment, every breath, and every particle of existence testifies to the presence of the Divine. By attuning ourselves to this reality, we begin to experience a deeper awareness of God as the ever-present foundation of our lives and the universe itself.

To live in light of God as the Ground of Being is to awaken to the mystery of existence, to stand in awe of the infinite source from which all life flows, and to embrace the sacredness inherent in all that is. It is a call to live with deeper awareness, gratitude, and love for the interconnected web of life sustained by the Divine.

• St. Augustine: “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” (Confessions)
• Paul Tillich: “God is not a being alongside others but the ground of all being, the power of existence itself.” (The Courage to Be)
• Meister Eckhart: “God is the foundation from which all things flow and the source to which all return.”
• Rumi: “Beyond form and thought is the essence of the Beloved, the foundation of all that is.” (The Essential Rumi)
• Tao Te Ching 1: “The Tao is the source of all things, the nameless ground of existence.”
• Acts 17:28: “For in him we live and move and have our being.” (NIV)

Question to Ponder: What does it mean to you for God to be the Ground of Being?

Action to Take: Spend a moment in quiet reflection, contemplating God as the Ground of Being.

Tuesday Awe: God as the Infinite Foundation

• St. Gregory of Nyssa: “God is the infinite depth from which all being springs, sustaining all in unity.” (Life of Moses)
• Julian of Norwich: “God is the foundation of love, holding us in being and sustaining us always.” (Revelations of Divine Love)
• Thomas Merton: “The ground of being is God’s presence, which gives life to all that is.” (No Man Is an Island)
• Rumi: “The Beloved is the infinite sea from which all rivers flow and to which they return.” (The Essential Rumi)
• Colossians 1:17: “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (NIV)

Question to Ponder: How does recognizing God as the infinite foundation shape your sense of purpose?

Action to Take: Identify one area of life where you can lean on God as the foundation of your life.

Wednesday Awe: God as the Source of Life and Being

• St. Teresa of Ávila: “God is the wellspring of life, the source from which our being is nourished.” (Interior Castle)
• Simone Weil: “God is the unchanging ground of all things, a reality deeper than thought.” (Gravity and Grace)
• Rabindranath Tagore: “The eternal foundation of life is God’s presence, holding all things in harmony.” (Gitanjali)
• Rumi: “God is the unseen root that nourishes the tree of existence.” (The Essential Rumi)
• The Upanishads 2.1.1: “The eternal essence is the foundation of life; it pervades all existence.”
• Genesis 2:7: “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.”

Question to Ponder: How do you feel knowing that God is the source of your life?

Action to Take: Spend time outdoors, in awe of God as the unseen root of all you see.

Thursday Awe: God as the Sustainer of Being

• St. Irenaeus: “God holds all things in existence by His will and love.” (Against Heresies)
• Henri Nouwen: “We live because God sustains us; we are rooted in His being.” (Life of the Beloved)
• Thomas Aquinas: “God alone is existence itself, the sustainer of all being.” (Summa Theologica)
• Rumi: “The Beloved sustains the stars, the earth, and the heart of every soul.” (The Essential Rumi)
• Tao Te Ching 25: “The Tao sustains all things, yet seeks nothing for itself.”
• Hebrews 1:3: “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.” (NIV)

Question to Ponder: How can you rest in the knowledge that God sustains all things?

Action to Take: Reflect on an area of your life where you need to trust in God’s sustaining presence.

Friday Awe: God as the Mystery of Being

• St. John of the Cross: “The essence of God is mystery, the infinite depth that calls the soul to union.” (The Dark Night of the Soul)
• Julian of Norwich: “In the mystery of God’s being, we find our peace and purpose.” (Revelations of Divine Love)
• Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “God’s being is the mystery that surrounds and permeates our existence.” (Letters and Papers from Prison)
• Rumi: “God is the hidden treasure, the mystery that draws the heart ever closer.” (The Essential Rumi)
• Rig Veda 10.129.2: “In the mystery of the Eternal, all things have their origin and find their end.”
• Romans 11:36: “For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” (NIV)

Question to Ponder: How does the mystery of God’s being invite you into deeper awe?

Action to Take: Take a moment to sit in silence, embracing the mystery of God’s presence in your life.

Saturday Awe: God as Ground of Being

• Paul Tillich: “God is not a being alongside others but the ground of all being, the power of existence itself.” (The Courage to Be)
• St. Gregory of Nyssa: “God is the infinite depth from which all being springs, sustaining all in unity.” (Life of Moses)
• Rumi: “God is the unseen root that nourishes the tree of existence.” (The Essential Rumi)
• Henri Nouwen: “We live because God sustains us; we are rooted in His being.” (Life of the Beloved)
• Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “God’s being is the mystery that surrounds and permeates our existence.” (Letters and Papers from Prison)
• Acts 17:28: “For in him we live and move and have our being.” (NIV)

Question to Ponder: How does God as the Ground of my being, change how I view life?

Action to Take: Take a moment to be in the Ground of Being.