A great paradox, an apparent contradiction, is that the goodness of God and creation do not cause us to avoid suffering in our world and daily life, but to seek to love even more. We ask: How can there be so much joy, pleasure and beauty in life? How can there be so much pain, hurt, suffering, and death? Why and how have these things come to pass? What is God’s intention for human life and for the rest of creation? Doesn’t God will something more for us — a love that does no harm? Doesn’t God will for us a compassionate and caring love, rather than a false love that strips humanity and creation of dignity? Can we experience such love in this life? Or do we have to wait until the hereafter — life after death? These are questions about the kingdom of God. They have to do with God’s intention for the reign of God. They make us consider our own responsibility as participants in God’s activity of a love that does no harm in the here and now, whether we are straight or gay, men or women, children or adults.
This life is good, valuable, and worth living. Hope is not only in the future. Hope is in the present. But the reign of God does not have to do with a far-off, abstract, otherworldly, alien, and alienated place. To the contrary, the promise of the fulfillment of the Spirit’s healing, creating presence on earth is woven together with apocalyptic hope in the midst of the daily work and struggles of life. The reign of the Spirit is an ever-present reality. The hereafter is in the here and now. We live into it in our everyday acts. God moves as the strength of life, present in history and creation. God as the strength of life is the power of life. Given such power, whom should we fear? What is the very strength of life transforms fear into faith, salvation, and hope. It means that we do not have to accept injustice and abuse while we wait for some better, eternal life in a world beyond the present. We can live in a love that is eternal and does no harm in the here and now.
We have to learn, as hard as it is, to trust the Inherent Goodness of the universe: The goal of the spiritual journey is to discover and move toward connecting wit God on ever new level. Of course, we won’t become vulnerable enough to connect unless we learn to trust over and over again. We must ask ourselves, “Is the universe a friendly place or not?” The spiritual experience is about trusting that when we stop holding ourselves, the Inherent Goodness who is God will still uphold us. In the end what we trust is God. When we fall into such Primal Love who is God, we realize that everything is foundationally okay.
Pray about this for the new year 2023. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.
From the Bible:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding”
Proverbs 3:5.
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” Romans 8:28.
“Those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you” Psalm 9:10.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” Joshua 1:9.
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” Jeremiah 29:11.
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