Omnipresence is a quality attributed to God by millions of people. Some believe that God and the universe are separate, but God is present everywhere. According to another belief, God pervades the universe and extends beyond it in time and space. Some religious cultures see the whole of existence as a manifestation of the divine, while others hold that God is not immersed in everything, yet He can interact with the substance of creation as He chooses, and He cannot be excluded from any place or object. One explanation given for the belief in God’s omnipresence is that He is Almighty, so He can do the impossible and be present everywhere at the same time. Just as the soul pervades the whole body with consciousness, God can be everywhere and in everything with His spiritual energy even while remaining in one place, it is argued. One example used to illustrate this point is that of a power station that supplies electricity to a large area while remaining in one place. These arguments, while true about the omnipotence of God, are unconvincing. A power plant can supply power to a large area, but that is evidenced by the power, which may be used to produce heat or light, run machinery, and do various other things. Similarly, when the sun is shining in the sky, we can experience the warmth and light it gives. The presence of any person or element of nature can be experienced by their qualities, which influence the surroundings. If there is fire, there will be heat and light, if there is water, it will cool its surroundings, if there is an incense stick burning, it will spread fragrance. Similarly, if there is a kind person, their kindliness is felt by others, just as an irritable person’s prickly nature keeps others away. If God were present everywhere, His qualities would be evident in all places. God is known as the ocean of virtues such as peace, love, and compassion, and as the comforter of hearts and the remover of sorrow. If He is present everywhere, why are these qualities rare today? Our world, in fact, seems far removed from anything godly, with violence, suffering, and sorrow a daily experience for millions of people. Every year, reports inform us of the sorry state of the world, listing all the problems facing the denizens of this planet, including crime, corruption, inequality, and environmental degradation. If God is omnipresent, why is the world in such a state? Can we tell the millions who do not have enough to eat that God is with them, or in them? And how do we explain to the families of the thousands of people killed every year that God, the ever merciful, is present everywhere? Curiously, along with an omnipresent God we are told to believe in the law of karma, which says that we reap what we sow and our sufferings are the fruit of our actions. If that is the case, what purpose is served by God’s omnipresence? Is God present in the sinner who is suffering for his sins? Why is He suffering if God is in him? And why did not God stop him from sinning at the outset? If karma determines our fate, what is God’s role in our life? Why think about God at all if, despite His omnipresence, we are solely responsible for our joys and sorrows? These questions point to the fundamental question: Can God be omnipresent? Or is it that we have misunderstood His omnipotence and developed false, even romantic, beliefs to conveniently absolve ourselves of accountability for our actions and place all blame for our condition on Him?
B.K. Usha is a Rajyoga teacher at the Brahma Kumaris headquarters in Abu Road, Rajasthan.