God Doesn't Promise Perfect Peace

This morning I would like to revisit this readers wonder:

“After reading your blogs on resonance: I was thinking there could be resonant evil as well a good.  Resonance  works in all ways some positive and come negative.”

As we reflect, on the many volatile situations in our world today; this reader’s wonder is very relevant to anyone’s faith. 

Relevant because the questions are multiple. 

People are wondering where God fits in so much conflicting confusion on the national scene, as well as  across the world.

Or, how can there really be a steadfast, faithful and actually active God in a world like ours. 

Or, to keep it on a more personal level, concerning the huge and small hurts of everyday life that never seem to quiet.

By the way these questions are not just questions for today — 2020.  They have been asked for centuries.

I am remembering a conversation, that my friend and I were having with her mother, in the early 1960s.  We were both just married and talking about having children.  

Her mother’s voice raised an octave:  “How can you even think of bring children into this awful world?”

Cynthia Bourgeault has something interesting to say about such things:

“Could it be that this earthly realm, not in spite of but because of its very density and jagged edges, offers precisely the conditions for the expression of certain aspects of divine love that could become real in no other way?  This world does indeed show forth what love is like in a particularly intense and costly way.  But when we look at this process more deeply, we can see that those sharp edges we experience as constriction at the same time call forth some of the most exquisite dimensions of love, which requires the condition of finitude in order to make sense — qualities such as steadfastness, tenderness, commitment, forbearance, fidelity and forgiveness.  These mature and subtle flavors of love have no real context in a realm where there are no edges and boundaries, where all just flows.  But when you run up against the hard edge and have to stand true to love anyway, what emerges is a most precious taste of pure divine love.  God has spoken his most imitate name. 

“….I am not saying that suffering exists in order for God to reveal himself.  I am only saying that where suffering exists and is consciously accepted, there divine love shines forth brightly.” (p 99 - 100 ‘The Wisdom Jesus)

I had a dear friend, once, who thought that since she was a believer — a Christian — that bad or unfortunate things were not suppose to happen in her life.  

That, is just not true.

Is it?