We all argue with God in some manner whether it is a matter of internal argument within our conscience or publicly in regards to what He said, meant or omitted. At the least this is our fallback position when confronted with those Truths that are etched upon our souls; for they are not unreadable and yet we tend to make them decipherable in accordance to our desires and temperament.

These truths are often covered with the dust of our neglect and the grime of our sins. Yet at a deeper level, we all know they exist and we all know that we are fighting against an objective reality that is unbending though it remains but a gentle, nagging, lingering doubt pushed aside and thrust downward; but it seems always able to emerge in some small annoying way to disturb the soul’s tranquility.

Sin is said to be a turning of oneself from the face of God; from His still small voice or His clear commands as given us by the Grace of His Incarnate Son, Jesus Christ, Who walked among us. But one wonders about the nature of sin itself and why we would be enticed by its lure; for we know what is right and what is wrong at a deeper level; within the very root of our consciousness. Why would Adam and Eve ever sin against their Creator (or us for that matter) and why would God allow evil to pervade His Creation and do its best to destroy what He made by His Holy Will? It is called the Mystery of Iniquity but it does not mean that we are wholly ignorant about its origin or its usefulness.

Sin is useful? Yes, of course. One cannot love or appreciate that which is good without experiencing evil. The same thing can be said about any quality or substance that is known. We know more about a thing when we see its corruption or its opposite side: love as opposed to hate, good as opposed to evil, joy as opposed to despair, peace as opposed to war. So without these contrary qualities or states we know not what great delight we should take in the Good God and all that He has accomplished for us. We ourselves, without the presence of sin nor the ability to choose or reject one quality or state from another, would be nothing more than robots whose lives would be comfortable or tranquil, but bereft of any true happiness or joy: for we did not choose the good over the evil, the ordered over the disordered or the beautiful over the ugly. It seems that a freewill choice for God and to return His Love freely is a gift that we appreciate far too little. It is divine in its essence for it takes us from the contentment of the household pet to the joy of an active family member.

This trial, this time of awakening to the joys that God intends, for these souls He has created for Himself, is the final phase of the Creation process which God has allowed us to fully participate in by utilizing His Guidance and Grace. The purpose seems to infinitely increase our enjoyment and make perfect our joy in Him and to rejoice in His Love for us. This is seemingly the reason that we live in a moral universe; a universe of choices that must constantly be made between short term, transitory delights of the flesh or mind, and an active and everlasting joy that will continue eternally. Only after this choice is one capable of realizing all that God has in store for those who love Him. Only then, is it possible for God to remove the other side of the coin that we freely rejected and live with the side of the coin that we chose without further temptation. For we have made our ‘forever’ choice and our will is now His Will and not corrupted with half-hearted choices nor the struggles with worldly pleasures and temptations. We enjoy the beatitude of God without distraction as do all the Saints.

Falling into sin is not the same thing as being an evil person; for even David and Moses were guilty of murder but were not evil. It is an important distinction to be made. An evil person is one who tries to willfully sell sin for righteousness and/or good for evil: they tempt, they convince with false logic and they corrupt the scriptures right along with that still small voice in the depth of the soul.

So arguing with God is normal up to a point. It is our wrestling with the temptations of the world, the flesh and the devil. But there comes a time in our lives where one must put away foolish things and look reality square in the face. Is there anything here that I desire or am unwilling to give up for the greater good? For if there is something comparable to the promises of Christ, then we have certainly lost not only our faith, but our hope and love of God (and our fellow men for the Love of God), as well. Let not the love of sin change us into purveyors of evil.

The Good Lord saw fit to bring some souls into this world in sickness and suffering, some into wealth and well-being. Some were born into hunger and strife while others were born into privileged circumstances. Some are plagued with lust and desires and others wrestle with greed and creature comforts. But whatever the inequalities we were born with or circumstances into which we were placed, they are more than made up for by Christ’s suffering on the Cross and His Saving Grace which is for everyone, regardless of birth or circumstance.

It is a Christian principle that those who have more should share more of their time, their money and their labor. It is also a Christian principle that those who are at the bottom not demand an end to their poverty or suffering but show gratitude for that which is given in love for their benefit. It is also a principle that nothing that God has demanded from every soul in this life is impossible for anyone. For this is the nature of humility and humility is within the grasp of all souls; the lens through which objective reality needs to be viewed. With both humility and love, we might hear God speaking to us as He did to St. Paul: “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” For it seems to me that those who have been afflicted least in this life may well require the most prayer. “From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.”

So do any of us have a reason to question our Lord concerning our state? Do we wish to argue with God even on our deathbed? Or perhaps, we might give thanks for receiving a free gift that returns us to our original innocence . . . a gift that we neither deserve nor could merit on our own. Repent and believe in Him or argue and deny Him. The choice is ours.