Is God Real?

Are you at times so frustrated with life, making efforts that seem to be going round n' circles, and then feeling alone with your struggles?

Many of us feel or are feeling moments of that in our lives...

As we are ending 2018 and going into 2019, I'm reflecting on a conversation I had with a friend at Christmas...

He asked, "If God is real, why doesn't he just show up?"

His question momentarily took me back, for I was dealing with my own struggles over the gifts of the season with my family's continued rejection, our recent tragedy, and the 4 years of ongoing blocking with my 101 year old Grandmoo not being allowed to talk with me or hear my voice from the hundreds of phone calls I've made reaching out to her and my family.

The word "frustrated" doesn't even begin to touch upon those feelings... and yes, my faith was wavering.

Yet, I mustered up the strength to say, "God's in everything... in Nature, the birds, animals, ocean, and the skies. In each of us too."

"Ok, he replied, then why doesn't he come down here to help us?"

"Honestly, I said, I think God is wanting us to show up for each other and for ourselves. To just show up in life."

We're all hurting. If we didn't have our struggles and challenges, how would we need each other? Would there be a point?

I now viscerally know that "the path of pain is the journey of love."

And when I'm thinking and pushing myself to do it all 'alone,' many times things become harder, with a pressure I've put upon myself to overcome or 'succeed.'

We are reminded (sometimes over and over) that it's better when we are working together, with each others who are supportive and with ourselves in prayer or meditation on situations and feelings beyond our control.

It's as if all our efforts won't make a butterfly fly, yet we can still admire the beauty the butterfly is creating and feel we are a part of, (as an observer and participator of those beautiful moments.)

We all must find our relationship with God, our Creator (however your beliefs are) to have a sense of peace, hope, and strength in our lives.

We don't need to have all the answers, we just need to possibly begin with a faith to believe...

Blessings and love to all we come across each day, in all our waves!