Part 3: Learn to see through the false and hold on to what is true
New understandings that I think will help me are:-
So many things in the world we live in are false. They trick and dupe and lure us by taking something that is true and good and pure and lovely and ride on the back of that by offering us substandard alternatives. In this sense they are our idols – they promise fullness, but are, in fact, hollow and empty. We must use our faith to see through the façade that traps without satisfying, in order to embrace all the joys of life that open up to us as we follow the path of being true to God. In some ways, we are all like addicts, who constantly have to battle the lie in their minds that they really must have whatever is their addiction, in order to stay true to their understanding that the addiction can only destroy. Therefore, we need to keep reminding ourselves that it is a liberating joy to follow God’s way, and that the pull of our addiction – as though we are losing something precious by leaving it behind – that is the compelling delusion.
There are no valid alternatives to truth and goodness; anything that you think you’ve found that is not rooted in God is also a false and trapping idol. There is no need to keep looking, just in case there is something apart from God that might also be satisfying. Instead, revel in the liberating joy of living in God’s presence and following his way. When we do, we discover that all the gifts of life shine out before us; they become within reach; they are ours to accept in joy and thanksgiving.
We are who we are. The essence of our nature is that we have this awesome ability to do both good and evil. It would be tempting to focus on our awesome ability to do good; this is so amazing, and perhaps no other creature has the ability to do this. Perhaps too, they do no evil, in the sense that they have no choice over their behaviour – yet we know that, from our human perspective, much that we see in nature is cruel and heartless. But we, we have the ability to choose, to reflect on and to judge our own behaviour. We do not simply shrug and say, “We do what we do”. And so, it is of the very essence of who we are to be poised on the brink between doing good and evil. We must therefore understand and accept what evolution has given us – with that cruel and heartless drive, but not let that be the last word, as though our actions will be determined by that, as though we have no choice. And it is our faith, above all else, that opens up to us the possibility of choosing the good, and so of being true to God. Therefore, we must not hate ourselves for our failures, but love God more, and focus on his love more than on our distress at failing. And we must go on loving him, accepting no alternatives to his way, for every alternative will be substandard, leading us to a dead end.
This is what our faith is for. Exercising our faith – truly “exercising” it – pushing and striving and stretching – is the way for each of us to show that we love God, that we are devoted to him, and put him first – first and only in our hearts. When we choose a life of faith, we are not making a sacrifice; we are choosing life in all its fullness.
Spiritual Devotion 