Mark Dohle
Well-Known Member
Choice
Always see love at the source of everything that comes from God. There is love and there is hate
—nothing else. Two roots: God and the devil. Man with his free will takes his choice of the fruit.
Bossis, Gabrielle. He and I (pp. 268-269).
Pauline Books and Media. Kindle Edition.
It is often difficult for me to see how man has free will. For I can view how challenging it for me to grow into the man that I want to be. I seek to be a man of justice, compassion, and yes empathy. It is easy to slide away from these positive traits because of simple fatigue, or worse, burn out. For even at our best, there are underlying compulsions that ‘push’ us to act in a certain way. Often unknown because it is unconscious and based on wounds from our past. One reason perhaps why it can lead to exhaustion. When we feel urgency when seeking to do what is right, it could point to compulsion. When compulsed our choices are often unfree and lead to many problems.
The same goes for groups. In my monastic community we often review our life, and how well we live it. Well, we deal with the same issues, sometimes doing well, at others we may not do so well. Yet we continue to try even amid failure. Getting up is an important aspect of the spiritual life.
I do believe that freedom comes, albeit slowly, from simply beginning once again, no matter how many times we have failed. Human weakness, selfishness, childishness, and pure laziness can be hard to face up to, and to admit our failures, yet to continue in hope and trust.
The reason for the ability to continue despite sets backs, and failure, is I believe because of the love of God who is at work in secret in the recesses of our souls. In areas we have no awareness of, or if we do through self-knowledge, is not all that profound. Most of the spiritual life I believe is simply taking the next step, getting through the day, being honest before God, and hopefully being a little more loving at the end of the day.
I do believe in the demonic. It seems to be on the rise, and that may account for the massive self-destructive path the world seems to be taking. I often feel like I am a character in one of the ‘Left Behind’ books. Though not a great fan of them.
Love leads to life. It demands an open heart to God’s grace, and a release from making ourselves victims, or failing into self-pity. Once we admit before God, and others our failures and take responsibility for them, it is then that we grow, again slowly.
The human soul is seen only by God. We see actions, and of course must judge them, but the soul, never. It is a great mistake to judge anyone as useless or beyond hope. We are called to love all, and we show that as believers by praying for all, even our enemies. One cannot hate the one prayed for.
Prayer is not a luxury but a necessity. So, pray, be disciplined about it, and you will be amazed over time at the changes in your life. Jesus Christ is our savior; we must cling to Him……always no matter what. That is what trust is, and why it can be so demanding to arrive at. We must understand that our emotions, feelings, and negative thoughts become mist when we pray, and we begin to see what is underneath, the image we are made in. In the image of God.-Br.MD