GOD IS THE ONLY ANSWER

Unlike the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution contains no reference to God. Relative to the fifty states, however, the Pew Research Center reports that God or the divine is mentioned at least once in each of our state constitutions. With all of the turmoil that America faces today, it may be a good time to direct more of our attention to God's plan for us in this world.

I visited with a mother who came to me for counseling years ago and she asked, "If God really loved us, why doesn't He just take away all of the bad things in life and help everyone choose good instead of evil?" My response was, "That's what He put us here to accomplish."

Of course, a great first step would be to embrace the reality that life is a gift from God. And acknowledging that gift implies a responsibility to treat everyone with dignity and respect. Do you see that happening throughout our country today? Not really. We've abandoned our purpose to know, love, and serve God with all of our minds and hearts, and to love our neighbors as ourselves, in favor of self-righteousness, divisiveness, greed and hate. It's easy to blame someone else for a bad economy, racism, political corruption and a host of other maladies. It's a lot tougher to look at ourselves in the mirror at the end of the day and ask, "Have I used the three gifts that God has given me --- my intellect, emotions, and will --- to make the world a better place today?"

Have we suffered enough yet? Are we sick of waking up to stories of child abuse, human trafficking, elder abuse, murders, and assaults? Are we fed up with being told what we should believe, what we should do, and how we should act? We're here because God wants us here. And there can be no better explanation of our purpose than the one offered by Saint Francis of Assisi when he wrote this centuries ago:

"Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. Where there is sadness, joy. O Divine master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive. And it is in pardoning that we are pardoned. And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life."

Sounds like a good life plan to me....and one that could make the world a better place. How about you?