Mark Dohle
Well-Known Member
Our Spiritual Path
I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God's heavenly
calling in Christ Jesus. --Philippians 3:14
When people speak to me, more than a few when sharing their spiritual path, and frustrations can overlook what is the most obvious. For they will often complain that they have so many obstacles to overcome that they can’t get started. It would seem that they think that all of the ‘obstacles’ have to be gotten rid of before they can begin.
Yet, it is those very obstacles that are what they need to work with on their journey to deeper intimacy with God. Failure is just as much a part of our journey as our victories, which in reality, for many years, may be temporary. It brings to mind the old saying: “Two steps forward, one step back”. For our ‘sins’, and failures, come from deep within us.
It is trust in God’s mercy, and love, that keep us going. There is no place for actual despair in our lives once we begin to take our interior life seriously. Our Spiritual lives if they do not incorporate all that we are is only a Band-Aid that will only be pulled off over and over. A shallow relationship with self and God only leads to endless cycles of suffering and frustration with no actual growth or healing.
Our need for God is learned over time. When we fail or fall, if we accept that we have ‘sinned’, it can lead not to some sort of neurotic guilt, or bad self-image, but to true acceptance of our freedom to choose, we cease becoming victims of our past. It is then that we really begin, fail, and begin again. Until one day we find ourselves running the path to God, for trust does away with fear.--BrMD