Contradictions in life are not meant to just be endured or resolved, we simply have to live them. Being faced by and reckoning with our contradictions are often turning points. They are opportunities to enter into the deeper mystery of God. But we, unfortunately, tend to evade the contradictions. Mystery is depth, an open future, immense freedom, a kind of beauty and truth that cannot be fully defined.
The saints and mystics spoke of the God-experience as simultaneously falling into an abyss and being firmly rooted. It is a contradiction, but in fact, when we allow our self to fall into the abyss, into a void without boundaries, we discover a rich, supportive, embracing spaciousness where there is no need to know whether we are right or wrong. We know we are being held and so we do not need to try to “hold” our self together.
This is the ultimate paradox of the God-experience: “falling into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31). When we can give our self and not wrestle with or explain it, falling into the abyss is an experience of the rock, of the foundation. Our logical mind cannot get us there. It can only be known experientially.
Mystery is a foundation of ultimate support, security, unrestricted love, and eternal care. It may take much of our life but to get there we must – to grow in faith, to live the abundant life in God.
Luke 8:10 “He replied, ‘You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables to teach the others so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: When they look, they won’t really see. When they hear, they won’t understand.’”
