Is the universe a friendly place?

I receive daily emails from Richard Rohr’s Center for Action and Contemplation. Most of the time they’re very good, and occasionally one just hits me with a force that I cannot ignore. This is one of them:

It is all a matter of learning how to be more and more deeply connected. And of course we don’t do this unless we trust that after all is said and done, it is a benevolent universe. Even Einstein said at the end, “The only important question is this: Is the universe friendly or not?” Can it all be trusted? Is the final chapter of history victory and resurrection or a dying whimper?

If we can fall down low enough and stop upholding ourselves, so only God could be upholding us, then we know it is a friendly universe, and we are safe (“saved”?). It is then radically okay, despite the temporary interruptions, because then we have experienced that the foundation of all things is Love! 

From Creating Christian Community

Much of everyday life screams at us with the message that the universe is an indifferent, uncaring place where we have to make the best of life we can and hope things go our way. While it takes faith to believe in anything, it can sometimes take a lot more faith to believe in a loving Creator when we just take a look at the news each night. Doubts can creep in and we can suddenly find ourselves wondering if this God stuff is all true.

I think there is a healthy balance between trust and reason – some call it a reasonable faith. This is not blind faith, as I have mentioned previously, but it is about working things through when doubts start to nag. We can either give in to the anxiety that doubt can create, or we can work it through and be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

Rowland Croucher has said that the best way to deal with doubt is to go on committed to Christ while you are struggling. Don’t suspend your belief. Doubt is different to unbelief. Doubt is wondering, unbelief is a choice to not believe. Just like C.S. Lewis, who said that his faith causes him to see more clearly, as we go on committed to Christ despite our doubt, we realise that the things we choose to believe are true as we gain insights on the journey. As I said at my recent 40th, life is not so much about getting there as about the journey. Walk on!