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Do you ever wonder why there is so much "evil" in our modern world. And, if you believe in a divine being -- call it God, Goddess, whatever you want -- why does it allow all the suffering we see today on the planet?

John Cali

I recently watched the movie, Conversations With God, based on Neale Donald Walsch’s best-selling book of the same name. The movie, produced by Stephen Simon of the Spiritual Cinema Circle, chronicles the true story of Neale and how he rose from a destitute homeless person to an internationally acclaimed author.

Near the beginning of the film, Neale is engaged in a question-and-answer session with a large audience. One woman asked him if God had one important message for humanity, could Neale put it into one paragraph?

Neale replied, "I could put it into five words: ‘You got me all wrong.’"

I thought that was a great answer. Many people I know have a distorted notion of what God is. I certainly did for most of my life.

One very poignant, often-asked question I hear in my work with Chief Joseph is "Why does God allow so much suffering in the world?"

Here's Chief Joseph.

Chief Joseph

We think a good way to start this conversation today would be to re-define the term "God." An ambitious goal, isn’t it? Presumptuous perhaps.

But not really.

As John said, many humans have distorted notions of God, the Great Spirit. Unlike in some of your religious traditions, in the real world God is no judge, jury, and executioner. God is not your king, your savior, your idol to be bowed down to and worshiped. God is not an avenging, wrathful force in your lives who will surely send you to straight to hell if you sin.

God is none of that. Never was, never will be.

Even some of our more aware and awake friends, even though they have "kicked the habit" and given up this crazy notion of a vengeful God, still have doubts.

That’s neither good nor bad. It simply speaks to where they are in their personal and spiritual growth. Where they are -- where you all are -- right now is the perfect place for you to be. It is the "launching pad," if you will, for the next step on your journey.

So that’s a rather long-winded introduction to our real point today. Which is:

• God does not "allow" suffering. God does not cause suffering. God does not punish you for your "sins" by making you suffer.
  
• God does not "allow" good into your lives. God does not "allow" abundance, joy, healing into your lives.
  
• God does not "allow" illness, disease, poverty, sadness, tragedy into your lives.

God simply is. God is that divine energy, that all-powerful force that creates and sustains all that is.

You -- all of you -- are part of all that is. Part of God.

You are God.

And so whatever you choose, by default or by deliberate thought, manifests in your lives. It all must manifest. Because you are God.

Now, friends, we realize we may have opened the proverbial "can of worms" here today by what we just said.

Our goal here today -- our "bottom line," if you will -- is to simply remind you of your own power. And to return you home to that power.

God "out there" does not "allow" suffering. You -- the God here on earth -- create your own suffering.

A harsh statement? Some of you will see it that way. But it’s also an opening and an opportunity for you to eliminate the suffering in your lives. You won’t eliminate the challenges -- after all, that’s why you incarnated -- for the fun of playing with the challenges.

But you can eliminate the suffering with a simple shift in perspective.

Your God "out there" neither allows nor causes your human pain and suffering. Nor does God either allow or cause your human joys and pleasures.

You are God. You do it -- all of it!

Many of you have God all wrong. Don’t you think it’s time you got God right?

For more of our articles, go here.

Chief Joseph talks about related subjects here:
The Light of God
When Bad Things Happen
You Are the Source
God Does Not Take Sides

This article was originally published here.

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Since 1992, John Cali has been communicating with a non-physical entity called Joseph. In one of his many physical lifetimes, this spirit was incarnated as the legendary Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce tribe in what is now the state of Oregon in the northwestern USA. These messages are a blend of information from Joseph, other spirits in the "Joseph group," and John.

John can be reached by email here or through their website
Private readings with Chief Joseph are available here: http://www.greatwesternpublishing.org/readings.html
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Copyright © 2007 by John Cali. All rights reserved.

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