THE YOU ONLY GOD CAN KNOW

First, the obvious. We are the only ones inside our own skin, inside our own heads, our own hearts, our own day to day experience of life--even though others would often like to get there! I mean, here. 

Second, half the time we don’t even get ourselves, our own thoughts, our own words, our own actions! We think, say and do stupid things to others and engage in full armored self-sabotage.

Third, then there’s our ego. Franciscan mystic Richard Rohr (RR) says our ego demands two things: “to be separate and to be superior.” My personal experience? Our ego doesn’t just want you or me to be separate and superior. IT wants to be separate and superior--even over you and me--over our “true” (RR) selves. And, since it’s part of our psyche, it filters and flavors everything we think, say and do according to its liking. Further, while our ego is living (and thriving) in our shadows, it will resist, distract, divert, deny anything and everything it doesn’t want touched or tampered with, challenged or revealed. So, it taints our take on everything. Especially ourselves! The net result: Our most vital asset, our self-understanding--which directly and indirectly shapes every aspect of our existence--is continuously skewed, leaving us foggy, fragile, and fickle.

And that’s on a good day.

But the “you” that you and I want to get to know is the one God knows. Why? Because it’s the one and only one that we--like God and through God--can come to know, love and trust.  

How can and does God accomplish this? Via our “soul.” That’s the word we’ve come up with to name God’s residing presence within us--the way station between God and each of us--by which we connect directly and intimately with God. In short, it’s the means God chooses and uses to know us like no one else can--including ourselves. 

Fortunately, unlike the ego, our soul is neither elusive or exclusive. No, it’s open and affirming. It thrives on transparency, not secrecy;  on truth, not deception. Through it, God is always present and available to us—even when we are not present or available to God. Through it God communicates uniquely--and constantly--with each of us. One on one. Through it God shares a love so disarmed and disarming that it can actually be frightening; a love that is so foreign to our experience that though it feels fantastic we’re afraid it’s fake. But it’s real. More real than any other love. 

We come to know this love through trusting the God that really does know us like no one else can. Like Jesus said, “the kingdom of God is at hand.” It's here. It’s now. It’s for you. It’s for me. And fortunately, even the smallest seed of trust we place in it can and will grow. 

And thrive.

TODAY.

LET’S GIVE THE WORLD & OURSELVES A GIFT.

LET’S TAKE TIME TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE THINK.