Evil and the Light of God
This was taken from an article I wrote back in 2004 after my book on Christian mysticism was published.
All darkness and all light is simply illusion. It presents itself in the way that it does to serve the greater purpose of coordinating universal and natural law. It serves an even greater purpose in helping human beings to identify their scope of consciousness and their responsibilities which lie there in. In the beginning, there was silence. And in that silence, the light and the darkness were borne. Within those polarities, many dimensions came into existence and experience. We, as human and spiritual beings, have been created to learn within these existences and experiences.
Without the understanding of the light of God that we hold and our own inner darkness, we cannot come to know God within ourselves, one another, or the world. When one asks the question as to why does evil exist, they will usually look towards the heavens for answers. It is far easier to look externally then to face the truth by looking deeply within ourselves. When we become aware of what evil truly is as the way God intended it, we will begin to face it with the courage and perspective that is needed for emotional and spiritual growth. It has been said in many a tradition that God will not give to you more evil than you can handle. So how in this statement can we affirm our belief in a loving Creator, especially during these challenging times?
We can begin to understand by grasping the concept of evil as relative to the light of God, as opposed to the structure of evil that is created by the will of man. When we separate ourselves from evil, then we are not embracing all aspects of our soul. Evil was meant to be placed in perspective and respect of the light of God; a necessary means for man’s understanding of truth. Evil can rest in stillness and fear of the spiritual process that surrounds Divine Providence. Whether it is the light or the darkness, good or evil, all energies need to be in stillness for the energy of God to come forth. If an energy is not in stillness, then it will leave itself open to the spiritual laws as set forth by the universe.
All souls have a learning continuum which reflects the accumulation of experiences collectively and universally. Light is borne from light and darkness is borne from darkness. The same holds truth for the antithesis. Darkness must also be borne from light as well as light must also be borne from darkness so that the spiral continues. The universal truths must come into balance within those polarities. Each polarity yields the grace, mercy, forgiveness, and appropriate boundaries to hold space for the other to come into balance. That is why one can and needs to be borne unto the other.
Each person on their path looks towards God for truth and understanding. The spiritual process that we each face encourages the formation of universal thoughts and attitudes which help to reflect the state of consciousness we are in universally. As we embrace the light, we reflect it. As we embrace the darkness, we reflect that as well. As we learn to balance the two, we assist in the universal balance that is in alignment with the will of God. Part of the natural evolution of our human psychology is and has always been to interpret the light and the darkness mentally, emotionally, and physically. We see and know these paradigms through the experiences of our emotional body and then tend to intellectualize our reactions to them instead of seeing and perceiving them in truth and reality. Where do we confuse truth and reality with our perceptions? Everywhere except within that space when we are in stillness with God. For each person, that space unfolds uniquely.
Truth and reality within any construct always faces an aspect of desire. If that truth is in the light, then the desire is there to know God more deeply. If that truth is within the darkness, then that desire is there to personalize and interpret those truths as they come to us in the way that we want to. The understanding and interpretation of human psychology leaves off where the essence of God begins, and where the separation of the light and the darkness ends.
The path of light and the path of evil, on all levels, be it the physical, the emotional, and the spiritual, needs to complete itself to come to understanding of the God within it. For remember that within the darkness, there will always be light. And within the light, you shall always find darkness. Only those truths will take on a different understanding as you grow spiritually and with a new conscious reality. By allowing for the light and the darkness to come to stillness, we can allow for God’s will to take place within everything created.
There are many teachings out there that show us how to embrace the light of God. So how do we face our darkness? We do so with compassion and love. It is easy for us to say love and far greater a challenge to know how to love like God does. We cannot hide from our truths within, nor should we be afraid to show ourselves in the face of God. We can offer our spirits and souls a gentle reminder of the gratitude of the spirit within, and the compassion and mercy that God has for each one of us. We are loved in our entirety. We cannot come to true love unless we embrace that entirety of who we are. We cannot come to true compassion until we balance the desire to attach, identify, or personalize our interpretations of how we define the light and the darkness.
When we are faced with the unknowing, in whichever ‘duality’ it is representative of, it is suggested to be mindful of the desire to identify or personalize that experience with our relationship to God. If you think you do not participate in this, take a closer look. Light and evil are not only part of the nature of man, but of the universal construct as well. The interpretation of the construct can lead us to the gates of heaven or the dark night of the soul.
During those times that light comes your way, rejoice. And in those times that evil comes your way, remember to hold it in a space of detachment and stillness. What remains still in truth cannot harm you and will only return to its source. Evil cannot engage you unless you allow it. It will be present as will the light. As with both, you have the free will to create relationship. If we look at the resurrection of the Christ Jesus, or the
life of the Lord Buddha, their faith in God allowed for a far greater resurrection of the darkness and understanding of the light than one could imagine. Their love in Him and their faith in His love for them helped to bring into perspective the light of God; which indeed, encompasses all of creation.