As spiritual beings in human bodies who have an ego-mind, the relationship we have with the Universe can sometimes get confusing.
The Universe is another word for God, Creator, Source etc. We all have a relationship with the Universe, you could see it as a teacher or loving parent, there are many ways to conceptualize this source of consciousness.
Things start to get interesting when we realize that through our focus and the actions we take, we can connect with this universal consciousness and see changes in our lives.
In today’s post I want to explore this relationship we have with the Universe further, and share my perspective on whether the Universe tests us or not.
Does the Universe test us?
The idea that God or the Universe tests us has been around for as long as religion/spirituality has.
I think this is most prevalent in religion although there are also elements of this in spirituality too (sometimes it’s just more subtle). In religion we are tested, punished or rewarded based on our sin. In spirituality we are tested or punished based on our karma or ‘vibrational frequency’.
As someone who grew up Catholic this concept has been strong in my mind since childhood. The idea that our trials and tribulations are all for a divine purpose, and that what we might experience as ‘negative’ on the surface, is actually a blessing in disguise – something that will teach us and expand our consciousness.
I think the concept of testing in spiritual/religious communities is quite prevalent and so is kind of taken for granted. Today I want to share my perspective that kind of goes against that. These dynamics are incredibly layered, so this is just how I experience things rather than gospel.
I do think we are tested sometimes. However this isn’t due to our sin or karma, or a Universe or God that is judging our value but as a result of cause and effect. We come here with a level of purity, but eventually we gain the power or awareness to make helpful or harmful decisions.
Our harmful decisions can impact us on an individual level, but they also have an effect on others. Sometimes we are also caught up in other people’s harmful decisions – an individual or a group/structure.
We are all born into different circumstances with varying levels of difficulty. And so, sometimes good people experience bad things and vice versa.
What I do think happens is that we work out our wounds through the Universe. These are not so much tests as the natural consequence of our actions and choices (collective or individual). I think it really depends in which context you use the word ‘test’.
A test that presents itself naturally as an extension of cause and effect, is much different to a test that is brought about because the Universe or God is making some moral judgement on us as individuals and punishing or rewarding us accordingly. I don’t think the latter is accurate or helpful.
The Universe doesn’t send us wars to test us on a collective level, it doesn’t send us an abusive partner to ‘test’ our resiliency and ability to persevere; this is a natural result of our (collective and individual) choices, and often go against what is actually divine or Godly.
A big contention for those questioning religion and New Age spirituality specifically, is the idea that we attract struggles based on our vibration, past life karma or sin.
It’s a lot easier to explain away struggles or obstacles that come up and do make us stronger, but it’s more difficult to justify (for example) instances of abuse or neglect that happen to those who are innocent or vulnerable.
I don’t think it is the Universe or God bringing about these abuses as punishment or reward, but a confirmation that we have a level of free will within this construct. We can make choices that negatively impact others, and we can be at the receiving end of other people’s choices too.
It’s not the Universe, God or whatever other construct you refer to, that wants or needs us to experience these types of things, for its or our own benefit.
I believe that when the Universe does test us, it isn’t to harm us – we will be able to manage what comes our way. We will receive experiences that are uncomfortable but ultimately put us on the right track.
When we set an intention to improve our circumstances, gain a certain type of lifestyle or to become a different type of person we might need to face some resistance in order for this to happen.
My guidebook Self Love Manifestations is an overview of how the Universe works to get us on the right track and how we can best align our energy.
How the Universe tests you before your reality changes
We’re all here for a specific purpose – sometimes called a soul purpose. When you start to get in tune with your intuition and higher self, this becomes much more clear. Alongside this, I recommend creating a vision.
Visualizing what it means to bring (your) light to each aspect of life. What does being your ‘higher self’ look like practically speaking?
What type of person would you be, what relationships would you maintain, what spaces would you find yourself in?
Creating this vision can be a fluid thing that changes over time, but it’s good to have an idea of what you can aim for. As we get closer to this soul purpose or vision, the Universe will test us. To be clear, this is not the same as punishing us. There are no moral undertones to this.
The Universe will bring along the right situations to get us aligned. This can certainly feel like a punishment, if we are not looking at things neutrally.
The Universe will bring up old situations with less intensity, to show us we have chosen the right path and are ready to break a pattern.
The Universe will bring up old emotions, so that they can be properly addressed and cleared.
The Universe will present us with opportunities that don’t always feel optimal, to test our discernment. Both in rejecting things that aren’t truly aligned, and trusting ourselves to take a leap of faith.
If you are noticing some confusing dynamics in your life – old emotions coming up or opportunities that confuse you – get really clear on your vision and see if these are leading you in that direction.
How would you approach these obstacles as your higher self? Trust yourself to know the answer.
Why does it feel like the Universe is punishing me?
Building upon the groundwork we’ve just established, there are some times where it will appear the Universe is testing us, in this case I am referring to the feeling that the Universe has some moral/personal agenda. That the Universe is in fact punishing us.
- Self-judgement
- Old patterns/wounds
- Inconsistent energy
There are so many different reasons why it might feel like we are being tested or punished by the Universe. The first is that we are dealing with a lot of self-judgement. When something doesn’t go right in our lives, our first point of call is to make a moral judgement about ourselves.
In these instances we can take a step back and consider how we might be viewing our relationship with the Universe in the same way we do our other relationships – full of expectations and conditions.
We can take a look back at our upbringing and the ways we might have been taught to internalize judgement. Whether through religion, cultural or interpersonal teachings.
Another reason it can appear the Universe is testing us is because we are giving off inconsistent energy. We set our mind towards a goal or intention but on some level contradict this, with our actions, words, thoughts etc.
When setting an intention ask yourself how willing you are to align your actions, thoughts and words with it. Rather than just hoping and praying halfheartedly for a result, how ready are we to actually embody a new vibration or pattern?
As well as inconsistent energy on a personal level, sometimes we experience inconsistent level in our environments and interpersonal relationships which ultimately influences what we experience.
I always emphasize the importance of our environment when it comes to manifestation, working on ourselves, life in general – not everything is about our mindset or even energy. Sometimes we just aren’t in the right place to build the momentum we want to.
This doesn’t mean we have zero power or have no options, but we should take that context into consideration so that the intentions we set are more in line with our present circumstances, so they are in reach and we can gradually build momentum.
The final reason we might feel tested or punished by the Universe is due to old patterns or wounds. By working with energy we aggravate a lot of emotional wounds and debris. In developing a relationship with the Universe we inevitably have to face our shadow, and this can mean revisiting old wounds and traumas.
it’s ok to take a step back from spiritual or energy work if what you unearth internally becomes too overwhelming, it’s also ok to seek out external support as it comes to your physical, mental and emotional health.
What do you think? Does the Universe test us?