Have you ever felt in these ways?

 Father Ron Rolheiser re-phrased Karl Rahner's proofs for the existence of God:

 Here's a paraphrase of his argument:

• Have you ever remained silent, though you wanted to defend yourself, though you were treated unfairly?

• Have you ever forgiven, though you received no reward for it and people took it for granted?

• Have you ever obeyed, not because you had to or else there would be some unpleasantness, but simply because of some mysterious, silent, unfathomable reality inside of yourself?

• Have you ever made a sacrifice, without receiving thanks, without recognition, without even feeling satisfaction inside?

• Have you ever been absolutely lonely and, within that, had to make up your mind to do something purely for the sake of conscience, from a place beyond where you can describe, from a place where you are deeply alone, and where you know you are making a decision for which the responsibility will be yours alone, always and eternally?

• Have you ever tried to love when no wave of enthusiasm was carrying you along, where you could no longer confuse your own needs with love?

• Have you ever persevered without bitterness in doing your duty when that duty looked like death, felt like it was killing you, looked stupid to those outside, and left you helpless to not envy those who have chosen a path with more pleasure?

• Have you ever been good to someone from whom no echo of gratitude or comprehension came back and where you weren't even rewarded with the feeling that you had been good and unselfish?

If you've ever had any of these experiences, then you've experienced God and know that there's a deeper ground beneath the one on which you walk.