"God is at all times, regardless of our so-called sins, trying to pour more good into our lives and to make them ever larger and more successful", wrote Marcus Bach. And when we ponder why it happens that not all the people experience the goodness of God, we come to the realization of love's key ingredient: freedom.

Love is free, and it gives freedom. There is no control in love. Love may instruct and urge to choose a better way, but it won't coerce or manipulate anyone to follow that way.

People are free to live as they want to, even if it means for them bringing harm to themselves and to others through their actions. This truth could be hard to swallow for some believers, but without it they cannot adequately explain what is going on in the world.

"Why God does not do anything about all those sufferings?", they emphatically ask, not understanding the fact that all that needs to be done, is done. As we mentioned earlier, there is no lack of divine love, but there is a lack of human awareness of that love.

People are free to decide how to respond to the love of God - to accept it or to reject it, irregardless of possible outcomes. Most often, love is being rejected by them through ignorance and unbelief, mental and spiritual blindness. In such a way, they engage themselves into what is commonly called "sins". In Truth, "sins" are not breaking of religious restrictions or moral standards of a particular society. "Sin" is a failure to live according to universal laws.

Long time ago, it has been said that people are judged by their sins, not for their sins. This statement, as trivial as it may sound, when it is taken deep into our heart, opens for us a new dimension in relationships with God. We come to the realization that divine laws are the laws of nature, not juridical laws. This makes them more real for us. Here and there we see criminals breaking juridical laws in hope to escape punishment, or, if caught, to apply for mercy. They won't ever do it with the laws of nature. Trying to break them consciously would be insane.

By turning away from divine love, individuals set themselves against the flow of life, and there is no wonder why it feels so difficult. But love never leaves them, even for a moment. It is always there. It awaits for their recognition and active response - free response.

Human freedom is their divine birthright. Not having freedom, not having any options to choose from, people would be reduced to a level of puppets and lifeless machines, and they would loose their dignity of sons and daughters of God. This is the reason why I am suspicious of teachings which insist that there is "the only right way" for each person. Not only we are free to choose between enlightenment and ignorance, between following universal laws and trying to break them. Within boundaries of universal laws, we are also free to express ourselves as we want, to grow and succeed in different fields. There are thousands upon thousands of individual ways within the Way. This is what makes life beautiful.

As a wise Parent, God is gradually leading us to greater realization and fuller expression of freedom.

"Freedom leads to many errors, but, since it is a part of Being, man must learn to use is properly", wrote Charles Fillmore. In the final analysis, we will find that freedom is safe. Our shortcomings and mistakes could be painful, but they are never destructive for the core of our being. Christ within us, our true I AM, cannot be harmed in any way. As we center our attention on God, searching to learn from our experiences, we find that all of them contribute to the fulfillment of our divine purpose.

"All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose".
Romans 8:28