Spiritual life, continued.

When we speak of spiritual life, we mean life with God. Our spiritual life is closely connected with life with other people. St. John the Apostle wrote that God is love, and that if we love one another, God will be among us. John writes: “Everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.” Whoever does not love does not know God because God is love.” The love of God was revealed among us when God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him. If God loved us this much, we should also love one another.
Spiritual life is a matter of love. When we talk about spiritual things, it is always about relationships. God created us out of love and has never stopped loving us. He leads us to learn to love as well. However, when we talk about love, we encounter a problem because people have different opinions, and not everyone thinks the same way. However, what is important to us is how God reveals himself to humanity. This is our criterion. To learn what love is and understand that love is not something, but someone, it is necessary to know the Bible and the teachings of the Church, as well as to have experience of faith. Love is the presence of God in our lives. It is God himself. Spiritual life is love life. Today, there are various spiritual paths and religions, but what is truly Christian is that our relationship with God comes first. That is the core of Christianity. In spiritual life, we are not primarily concerned with perfection. Instead, spiritual perfection consists of being filled with God’s love and having a love for people that comes from the love of God dwelling in you.

Therefore, the first step in spiritual life is experiencing being loved. This is why living in an atmosphere of love is essential, so people can accept one another. Someone who has never lived in an environment where they were loved will find it difficult to accept the teaching of a loving Father because love is accepted through experience. This love provokes us to love. If we want to raise someone who will love others, we must love them first. This is how God works. The goal of spiritual life is complete union with God. We encounter many pitfalls as we grow in our relationship with God on this path. We realize our limitations and the things we cling to.

Furthermore, we see all the things we prioritize over a loving relationship with God, and these things prevent us from uniting with him. We then put one thing after another aside to unite with God. Putting aside everything that prevents us from uniting with God is necessary. Our spiritual life can only be personal. A Christian cannot live in love and, simultaneously, not care about anything. It is about a relationship. Therefore, it is not primarily about rules, norms of behavior, or performance. A healthy way of living in love is the natural foundation of spiritual life. People learn to live with God by living well as human beings and valuing relationships more than things. Family upbringing plays a vital role in this process. St. Thomas Aquinas said that grace presupposes nature. This is why emphasis is placed on being good people so that we will be good Christians. God does not withhold Himself from sinners. Instead, it is a spiritual journey that allows us to evolve from childhood’s self-centeredness to adulthood’s love.

Each of us has undergone significant development. A child is born egocentric. For several years, a child believes that he or she is the center of the universe and that everyone exists only for him or her. Unfortunately, some people never grow out of this stage. Selfishness is a hereditary sin. Because we were separated from God, we are born unable to live in dependence on Him. Each individual develops from selfishness to love. This development occurs through various expressions of love. First, a child experiences maternal love and learns to accept love. The first crisis comes when another person, the mother, also appears, such as when a second child arrives. Parents know that the first conflicts are coming. Jealousy arises. The older sibling may scratch or push the younger one. The child must learn to respect that others also have a right to love. They must realize that they are not alone in the world and must learn to give and receive love. Other types of love appear: The love of a father, siblings, and grandparents.