11-12-11:  What is the message of Spirit about human suffering? My experience tells me that the spirits say nothing about this.  They answer with a thick and abiding SILENCE.  That IS the message:  the idea that they don't focus on it and nether should we.  Yes, we must help others and help ourselves, otherwise, we have no hearts, but we must IGNORE the question of "Why did this happen?" and focus on living our lives.  Analyzing is only good when we are engaging in codependent or addictive patterns that we want to change.  Then, analysis is our friend.  But when things happen outside of obvious self-causation, it is insanity to try to find out why.  It's a big world, there are more factors involved in anything that happens than we can yet know.  So, we must turn away from such questions.  The spirits, God(s), Higher Power, does not punish or challenge us with troubles.  Troubles happen.  They are an opportunity to LIVE OUR LIVES.  When we entertain the whys too much, it's like engaging in a frenetic close dance with a razor blade studded partner:  not a good plan.  Living means adapting.  All human problems are about adaptation.  The spirits love us.  They always help us.  But they are silent about the problem of pain.  Good.  We must learn silence, too.  So, whatever you are going through, remember, the living process contains oscillations.  We are more than these shifts and as the old Book of Common Prayer says:  "changes and chances".  We always must be open to our greatness which exists at ALL TIMES.  Connect with your greatness and your depth.  Move through the suffering.  Freedom will dawn.  In Spiritual Love, Rev. Stephen Carroll