There is an ancient tale, passed from one generation to another like a candle flame carried through the darkness.
Long ago, when God had just finished creating the world, He chose to live among His creation.
He lived not in the heavens, nor beyond the stars, but right in the middle of the world—in its bustling marketplaces, crowded streets, and noisy towns. He wished to be close to humanity, to hear their voices, to share in their joys and sorrows.
At first, it seemed like a beautiful idea.
But as the years passed, His life became increasingly difficult.
From dawn until deep into the night, people came to Him without ceasing.
One man arrived weeping because his wife was gravely ill.
A woman came carrying the unbearable grief of a child who had died too young.
Another complained that he could not find work.
A merchant lamented his financial losses.
A farmer cursed the drought.
A king worried about losing his throne.
A beggar prayed for wealth.
A wealthy man prayed for even more.
The stream of complaints never ended.
Day after day.
Year after year.
Century after century.
People knocked on His door at every hour. They did not care whether He was resting or awake, whether it was midnight or noon. Everyone wanted something. Everyone carried a burden. Everyone had a problem that seemed larger than life.
And so God listened.
He listened to endless requests, endless worries, endless grievances.
Eventually, even eternity began to feel exhausting.
At last, overwhelmed by the constant flood of human complaints, God called together His wisest advisers.
“My friends,” He said, “I can bear this no longer. These people never stop coming. What should I do?”
The advisers exchanged worried glances.
Finally, one of them spoke.
“To be honest, Lord, your first mistake was creating the world. Your second mistake was choosing to live in it. If you wish to preserve your peace, you must hide yourself somewhere. Otherwise, these people will drive you mad.”
God sighed.
“Perhaps you are right. But where shall I go?”
One adviser immediately replied,
“Go to the summit of Mount Everest. Surely no one will ever find you there.”
God smiled gently.
“You know nothing of the future,” He said. “I know the past, the present, and the future. One day a man named Edmund Hillary will stand upon that summit. And once he reaches it, countless others will follow. Roads will be built. Expeditions will be organized. Hotels, guides, and crowds will gather. Sooner or later, they will find me there—and they will bring all their complaints with them.”
Another adviser offered a different suggestion.
“Then go to the Moon.”
God shook His head.
“You underestimate humanity. There is no mountain too high, no ocean too deep, no planet too distant. Sooner or later, human beings will reach every place they can imagine.”
The room fell silent.
No one could think of a hiding place that humanity would not eventually discover.
Then, from the far corner of the chamber, an elderly adviser slowly rose to his feet.
He was the oldest among them and spoke so rarely that many had forgotten the sound of his voice.
He leaned toward God and whispered softly into His ear.
“My Lord, I know of one place where human beings will never think to search.”
God's eyes brightened with curiosity.
“And where is that?”
The old adviser smiled.
“Hide within the human heart itself. Let Yourself dwell in the deepest center of every person. Humanity will search the skies, climb mountains, cross oceans, and explore distant worlds. They will look everywhere except within themselves.”
For a moment, God remained silent.
Then a smile spread across His face.
“That,” He said, “is a truly excellent idea.”
And so, according to the old story, God disappeared from every place where people expected to find Him.
He withdrew into the silent sanctuary hidden within each human being.
And there He remains to this day.
Now that I have told you the secret, the choice is yours.
If you truly wish to meet Him, do not look only in temples, churches, mosques, scriptures, mountains, or distant pilgrimages.
Turn inward.
Journey into the quiet depths of your own being.
But when you go, do not bring complaints.
Do not carry demands.
Do not arrive with a list of wishes.
For God will be delighted simply to see you.
After all, very few visitors have found their way to Him during these thousands of years.
Only a rare few have reached Him—those who became still enough to listen, silent enough to hear, and conscious enough to see.
And in that profound silence, they discovered that the One they had been seeking had been waiting within them all along.
Explanation of the Story
This story is a spiritual allegory about the search for God and the nature of inner awareness.
On the surface, it humorously portrays God as becoming exhausted by humanity's endless complaints and searching for a place to hide. However, beneath the humor lies a profound spiritual teaching.
The story suggests that human beings often search for truth, happiness, meaning, or God in external places—religious institutions, sacred sites, achievements, possessions, or distant journeys. Yet the deepest spiritual traditions frequently teach that the Divine is found within one's own consciousness.
The old adviser's insight reflects a timeless observation: people are willing to explore the entire universe, but few are willing to explore themselves.
The final message is that inner silence, awareness, and self-understanding are the doorway to spiritual realization. According to the story, God is not hidden because He is far away; He is hidden because we rarely look inward.
Vocabulary List
| Vocabulary | Arti Indonesia |
|---|---|
| Bustling | Ramai dan sibuk |
| Grievance | Keluhan, rasa ketidakpuasan |
| Overwhelmed | Kewalahan |
| Summit | Puncak |
| Distant | Jauh, terpencil |
| Sanctuary | Tempat perlindungan yang suci |
| Withdraw | Menarik diri |
| Consciousness | Kesadaran |
| Profound | Mendalam |
| Allegory | Kisah kiasan yang mengandung makna simbolis |
Useful Expressions
Passed from one generation to another → Diturunkan dari satu generasi ke generasi berikutnya.
A candle flame carried through the darkness → Nyala lilin yang dibawa menembus kegelapan.
The stream of complaints never ended → Arus keluhan tidak pernah berakhir.
The room fell silent → Ruangan itu menjadi sunyi.
A truly excellent idea → Sebuah gagasan yang sungguh luar biasa.
Turn inward → Menoleh ke dalam diri.
The quiet depths of your own being → Kedalaman sunyi dari keberadaan dirimu sendiri.
A list of wishes → Daftar keinginan atau permohonan.
Hidden within them all along → Tersembunyi di dalam diri mereka selama ini.
Still enough to listen, silent enough to hear → Cukup tenang untuk mendengarkan, cukup hening untuk mendengar.
