During the fifth year in my seven-year journey back home to the Garden, I began my ‘quest to love.’ It started when I heard a word resonating deep down in my soul. The word was, “Apokatastasis” and is Greek for restoration and translates as ‘restoration to original intent.’ Why this word and what does it have to do with my quest to love? That was the question I posed to God as I began to seek guidance, direction and understanding. Just as the word apokatastasis resonated in my soul so did God’s answer to my question. “You are not of this world my son and you were never meant to live in the Wasteland,”
As explained in the Bible, the first humans Adam and Eve willingly disobeyed God and began a course of rebellion against Him that continues to this day. Ever since this original sin the world and our entire being have been altered. Death has replaced life, disorder has replaced harmony, lies have replaced truth, shame has replaced righteousness, and fear has driven out love. In an act of justice God banished us out of the Garden to live in the wastelands of the world where we toil and labor to no end trying to find our way back home to the Garden. It is not a stretch to say that since the beginning of time, all of us have been on a journey to get back home to our paradise abode.
I wrote in my book that ever since I was three years old, I have felt all alone. That when I looked out into this world (the wasteland) what I saw was not matching up with what I felt. Somehow, I realized that I did not belong in this world. I would say to myself, “Something’s not right?” “This doesn’t add up?” “Life can’t be made to live this way?” “There has to be something better?” Do you ever feel that way? Even during times of jubilation in my life, it still wasn’t good enough. “Something is still missing! I would say. “It won’t last. Nothing ever does!” “What’s the use!” No matter what my situation or circumstance, putting my hope in this Wasteland of a world and all the things that belong to it never truly satisfied my soul. I desired something better. I wanted to go back home and find the peace my soul desired, I just didn’t know the way home. But it’s starting to make sense to me now, “Apokatastasis, restoration (RETURN) to original intent (TO ORIGINAL PARADISE ABODE, THE GARDEN)!!!
Wow! We are really headed back home as we pursue the journey of brokenness. That is where God desires to take me, you, and this entire world, back to its original form and intent, a Garden paradise! Our spirits, souls and bodies were not meant for this world in its fallen state. Our spirits were meant for life not death, our souls for peace not anxiety, and our bodies for youth not decay. We were meant to depend on God and not ourselves. We were meant for something more. But for me it has been a lifelong struggle of self-effort to provide and protect myself in hopes that I would survive till the end, my own death. But that’s just it, God doesn’t want us surviving in this world just to die in the end, He is a God of mercy and grace, and He wants us thriving in the eternal Garden. God wants us back home in paradise with Him. Therefore, ‘Apokatastasis’ must occur; we must get back home but we can only do so through restoration with Him!
My encouragement to you is to allow whatever it takes for restoration to take place in your life. Give to God all He asks of you and let Him return it back to its original state which will always be for our good. Gods’ restoration will never disappoint. It may seem scary or backwards at times to turn things over to Him but trust the plan, Gods’ intentions are always for us and not against us. He knows the way home and His plan is to get us there because that’s where true Love exists!
Dario L. Perla