The pitiable spiritual state of postmodern society lies at its defective root: the greed for control. When organisation, rational order and efficiency become an end in themselves, the impending inauguration of modern existential concentration camps (fuelled with the same Nazi spirit) both in our societies, and (God forbid), in our faith communities, infallibly kicks off. When the human being, in all his/her pretended wisdom, becomes the apparent solution for his/her own problems and dilemmas, it is then that s/he subscribes himself/herself to the reign of fear and mistrust. A terrible regime indeed.
Fortunately enough only God is God! He is the only saviour for his creation. The human person's tragic failure of offering self-compassion is highly compensated and lavishly given by a caring God. One step is needed: entering into oneself in prayer and surrender. This is the only thing that really counts when books, workshops, psychological theories, support, advice and counsel from other people fail. Henry Nouwen's words are prophetic: "But sometimes we meet and hear that exceptional person who says, 'do not run, but be quiet and silent. Listen attentively to your own struggle. The answer to your question is hidden in your own heart'".
God is that exceptional person. Spending time with him is the remedy for our miserable and freaky malaise of power and control.
Only He can liberate us from controlling and manipulating our lives and those of others, precisely by taking us into His transcendence of peace, joy and love. His plans finally count not our defective and limited ways of seeing things. It is then that our life starts becoming life, in the most profound sense of the word.
For those interested to live peacefully and trust in the Lord not in their shattered human security, I propose the following advice by Robert Wicks. "Spending time quietly with the Lord is a good way to approach God... We simply take out some time each day to sit quietly with the Lord... We can begin with a prayer or a few lines of Scripture. Then we just sit and quietly spend time with the Lord." It is good to schedule a time, say five minutes every day. Starting the day with an encounter with your God, really makes a whole difference in your life!
A tree is recognised by its fruits. A humble person who trusts in the Lord is an oasis of peace. A proud person who trusts in her/his own perceived capacities leashes out fear, mistrust, guilt feelings and terror.
Whom do we want to be people of compassion or tyrants? It all boils down to whether we have surrendered or not to God in the very end. Anselm Gruen has the last word: "When we are stripped of all power, we discover what God has in mind for us, what God can make of us when God fills us completely with divine grace".