If you’ve ever asked yourself who we are, where we come from, and where it all goes, then you’ve likely encountered the concept of God as a creator. When we consider this story, we often think of angels as well. You may still believe this story, or you may not. But I want to start by clarifying that whether or not you believe it is beside the point; the analogy holds value regardless. After all, words themselves are analogies—a partial similarity to something else, like art to nature. Words can never fully capture the true nature of God that we see in the world; they’re only approximations. So even if you’re passionate about scripture, consider reading on. As I see it, scripture is ultimately a matter of the heart, something no words can ever fully define.
The Nature of Angels
Let’s take a moment to meditate on angels and see why the angels are jealous only over our tears. Don’t worry about how they look; just allow your mind to consider what they are. Angels experience existence on a non-physical plane, one untouched by time or space, all-encompassing and forever extending outward. In this realm, angels can move from a point beside you to the ends of the heavens with no time passing. Attempting to rationalize this might only diminish it. A God who fits neatly into our understanding would not be big enough to be called God.
The Spiritual and Physical Planes
The spiritual plane—the realm of angels—is not separate from God. This is a domain where love is all there is, and angels exist in a state of perpetual joy and protection. They are constantly defending love against the pull of earthly struggles, an invisible yet powerful defense against negativity. Meanwhile, here on the physical plane, we face battles of our own, but of a different kind. Ours are emotional and psychological battles, experiences unique to humans, unlike anything the angels know.
As humans, we are connected to God, yet separate from angels. We are not tasked with fighting for love in the spiritual plane; instead, we are warriors of spirit here in the physical world. While angels guard the spiritual realm, we contend with the struggles and trials of physical existence, a calling no angel can fulfill.
The Gift of Emotion
One of the profound differences between us and angels is the range of emotions we experience. While angels sing with joy and feel divine gladness, they don’t experience the full spectrum of emotions as we do—both the joys and the sorrows. And here is something to consider: there may not be as great a distinction between pain and joy as we think. In some cases, joy can be troubling, and pain can even contain traces of enjoyment. Emotions, all connected, seem to flow from one core essence: joy.
When we leave this world, we may enter a place where only joy exists. Some people have reported glimpses of this reality in near-death experiences. I am one such person. In that space, the absence of everything but joy struck me profoundly. If only joy remains, then what is it about life that we’re here to experience?
Humanity’s Higher (Different) Calling
Our life on earth grants us the ability to experience a unique wavelength of emotions. God calls us the “salt of the earth”—a metaphor that, to me, means we are the ones who can purify and elevate creation, bringing Him glory. Angels, bound to love and joy, can’t experience this process as we do, and that’s where they may feel a sort of holy envy. They long to fight the good fight, but they are not equipped for it.
In our earthly existence, we experience pain, fear, and doubt—emotions we often wish to escape or suppress. But what if these experiences are a calling to something higher? I encourage you to examine any emotion you may be avoiding, to see it not as a burden but as an opportunity.
Turning Pain into Glory: The Angels Are Jealous Only Over Our Tears
At the end of our lives, it’s not our earthly victories we will cherish but our moments of transformation—the times we turned our pains, fears, and worries into something valuable for others. Like turning water into wine, our journey is about transmuting hardship into divine gold. This is what brings true pleasure to both us and to God.
It’s irrelevant whether you believe in God or angels; the message remains. We have seven core emotions, six of which may feel negative and only one, joy, is positive. The world can be an unfriendly place, and it takes hard work to seek out and find the positive. I know this because my own life was once overwhelmingly negative.
But as we learn to combat negativity with positivity, we discover a new purpose, as we begin to see others who are still in darkness. We can help to “save” one another, using love and connection to bring healing. The regenerative effect of love on the mind and body is real, scientifically and spiritually. This is the magic of human connection—something that transcends words, beliefs, and doctrines.
And so, when two or more gather, something greater than either alone begins to happen. You might call it God, or you might call it something else; the name doesn’t change the fact that in the end, it’s only love and joy. If, when your time comes, God asks if you want to return, it will be to turn more pain into His glory, to continue fighting the good fight. Like the angels, you too may feel the longing to be part of it all once more. Because that’s what we’re made for.
About the Author
Mark A. Turnipseed is the best selling author of his memoir, My Suicide Race. Mark grew up Christian but left the church due to conflict with his sexuality.
In his 15 years away from the church he become an avid researcher and practitioner of comparative religions and spirituality influencing his writings to blend many backgrounds.
Clinically and research trained in the psychological science Mark is also published in scholarly articles and continues to be a researcher while training to become a psychotherapist.
Comments