Our animal nature seeks ease, pleasure, and the line of least resistance. Change is always more or less disturbing and traumatic. Pain and suffering, therefore, invariably accompany, and often stimulate, spiritual growth and evolutionary progress. The catalyst power of adversity and the spiritual value of disappointment are among the less recognized and appreciated constructive aspects of evolutionary development.

There is a basic law of readiness operative in all growth and development. We learn and grow through hands-on, minds-on participation in reality. There are no shortcuts to divine growth. When we attempt to skip grades in our learning experience, we eventually labor under handicaps or fail. Proceeding too rapidly leads to a breakdown in growth and development. Conversely, when people achieve development and learning levels, they cannot be arbitrarily held back very long. Violence, revolution, apathy, or other similarly noncreative responses occur when such restraints are imposed. Although our actual achievement is slow, the overriding imperative is that we are facing and moving in the direction of God’s will and way.

God has established creative purpose in the laws and evolutionary dynamics of the universe. There is a movement from the simple to the complex, from the atom to the galaxy, from the amoebae to man. We grow from selfishness and egocentricity towards love and universality, from self­expression to self-mastery, from negative fear motivation to positive self-­actualization achievement. There is a planetary dynamic moving from randomness, lawlessness, and arbitrariness towards order, lawfulness, design, and justice. There is a holistic evolutionary trend from external control to internal control, from group rights to individual rights, from force and coercion to freedom and creativity.

The mature person does the good and wise thing of his or her own volition. He or she moves from external control to internal control, from force and coercion to freedom and creativity. Intra-­relationships have an endless complexity, and adjustments take time. An advanced or spiritually mature person perceives a universe governed by law and purpose and recognizes justice even when it is inimical to her own immediate personal welfare.

Immature people see life determined by whim and caprice. They make rules to fit their personal advantage. Immature persons need strict rules and regulations. The purposeful dynamics of evolution seldom functions on a simplistic, straight-line basis. There is fluctuation back and forth, before the supremacy of divine purpose establishes a stable ascendancy.

Universal evolution is grounded in intelligent purpose. The most fundamental truth is that there is a divine plan operative everywhere. God’s will and way shall eventually prevail. It’s underlying objective is progress. God’s challenge and command to all mortals is that we grow toward perfection. Curiosity, the urge to explore, and the drive for ever increasing environmental adjustments and adaptation is innate in evolutionary creatures.

Spiritual maturity is based on evolutionary insight. The basic laws of the universe undergird growth and change. Our attention needs to be directed towards areas that are ready for improvement. Patience, perseverance, courage, and faith are the watchwords of spiritual maturity.

There is no substitute for experience. As we participate in evolutionary growth, we become partners with God on his own creative process of becoming. We learn that everything starts with the small and insignificant, the quiet and undramatic. From these mustard seed beginnings most of our accomplishments are made with inadequate resources, means, associates, and abilities. Living experience is designed for educational purposes and the entire universe serves as one vast school.

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