What do you do if you’re an ultra-rich, celebrity pop star and you realize your life is off track? What if you’ve begun to sense that, for all your money and fame, there’s a huge void in the center of your life? Where do you turn?
Well, like anyone facing an existential crisis, the best option may be to look inward, to the place where your soul and God meet. The best thing to do may be to lean on your spirituality and faith, to find answers that social media and our modern society cannot offer.
Over the past several weeks, there have been news reports about former teen stars Demi Lovato and Justin Bieber and how they’re relying on spirituality to get them through tough times. Bieber credits his faith with “pulling me through a hard season” while Lovato said that a recent religious pilgrimage “filled the God-sized hole in my heart.”
I read a couple of entertainment news articles on Bieber that were especially compelling. I sensed he was on the right track, making the effort to get closer to God and a place of internal peace and contentment. He wants to get things right with himself and those closest to him, including his wife.
What follows are what I perceive to be the key spiritual lessons learned by Bieber, accompanied by quotes from the news articles. They’re followed my thoughts on each subject.
7 Spiritual Lessons from Justin Bieber
- Be Humble.
“Justin is in a better place than he was before, but he’ll be the first person to tell you that he still has a lot of work to do.” ~a source close to Bieber
When we are humble, we’re less arrogant and more open-minded, with a sense of our own fallibility. John Templeton, who wrote frequently on humility, puts its importance this way: “Those among the greatest who have ever lived acknowledge that their greatness comes not from their personal self but from a higher power working through them. The true meaning of humility is knowing that the personal self is but a vehicle of a higher power.”
- Put in the Necessary Spiritual Work.
“He is constantly praying, reading the Bible, talking to people about his spiritual and emotional well-being.” ~a source close to Bieber
We cannot truly call ourselves spiritual, unless we put in the necessary effort. This means devoting yourself to a regular spiritual practice that can include yoga, meditation, spiritual reading, prayer and contemplation. It can also mean relying on a spiritual mentor to offer you guidance that can point you in the right direction.
- Persevere through the Hard Times.
“But if we are grateful and worship God for what we do have in that season there is so much power in that… whatever pain you are going through just keep telling yourself THIS WONT LAST!” ~Justin Bieber
Even the most positive-minded people among us have moments of doubt. It is during these hard times, when dark clouds move into our life, that we must remember all things come to pass. A blue period may also reveal new truths and insights. In the words of Thomas Moore, “it may be painful, discouraging, and challenging, but it is nevertheless an important revelation of what your life is about. In that darkness, you see things you couldn’t see in the daylight.”
- Know You are Loved.
“I am a child of the most high God and he loves me exactly where I am, how I am, for who I am.” ~Justin Bieber
The quote above relates to the idea that God is love and love is God. As stated in the Bible in John 4:8: “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” John Templeton states that “The wonderful substance of God flows in and through us and extends in every direction. Truly, there is no place we can go where we are not bathed in the infinite sea of this substance of the universe.” This substance is love and it is given to us without preconditions.
- Surround Yourself with the Right People.
“He’s got people around him who are encouraging him to really be the right type of man.” ~a source close to Bieber
There’s an old axiom that goes “you are the sum of the 5 people closest to you.” Surround yourself with people of questionable character and their bad habits and “stinkin’ thinkin’” may rub off on you. If you’re looking for a life of happiness and contentment, spend more time with those who are happy and content.
- Embrace your Marriage.
“Now I am navigating the best season of my life “MARRIAGE”!! Which is an amazing crazy new responsibility. You learn patience, trust, commitment, kindness, humility, and all the things it looks like to be a good man.” ~Justin Bieber
Being devoted to your marriage can broaden your perspective of what it means to live right. Actor Jeff Bridges, who has been married to the same woman for 40 years, was at first reluctant to get married. He later found that “you close one door, but you open a door that leads to a long hallway lined with doors. Incredible doors like children, grandchildren, deeper intimacy with the woman you love, and so many other things that would not be available to you without marriage…thank God I went for it.”
- Be the Light.
“I believe it’s not my job to push anything that I believe on anyone else. I think it’s just my job to be a light and share what I went through as far as my spiritual journey.” ~Justin Bieber
I heard Oprah interview Elizbeth Gilbert recently and she gave the author the following compliment. “You carry the light.” It is the ultimate spiritual accolade and our ultimate job in life. Once we have the light within us, it should be our mission to spread it to others. Quoting Jesus in Matthew 5:15, “no one lights a lamp and puts it under a pot. Instead, it is placed on a lampstand, where it can give light to everyone in the house.” When the lamp is lit, let your light shine.
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