Good Friday Reflection: The Divine Flow of Sacrifice

On this Good Friday, I'm struck by the raw simplicity of what today represents: sacrifice as the ultimate expression of love.

When Jesus surrendered his life, he demonstrated the most fundamental truth about our existence - that genuine transformation requires death of the old self. This isn't metaphorical. Our attachment to comfort, to being right, to control - these must be crucified daily if we want to experience true freedom.

I've found that my most profound moments of connection to God weren't in religious institutions but in states of complete flow - whether through the transcendent power of music or in moments of total surrender to my divine purpose. It's in these moments that the veil between heaven and earth feels thinnest.

Good Friday teaches us that power comes through surrender, not control. Strength emerges from vulnerability, not dominance. And real love always costs something.

The people who've most influenced my faith journey didn't just talk about Christ - they embodied his sacrifice through how they lived. They showed me that true Christianity isn't about religious performance but about dying to self-interest in service of something greater.

As Naval Ravikant wisely noted, our success is largely determined by the people we surround ourselves with, where we live, and the work we choose. I've experienced this truth spiritually - when I align with people who are moved by the Holy Spirit, place myself in environments that nurture love and compassion, and devote myself to work that serves my highest divine purpose, life transforms in ways I couldn't imagine.

The cross reminds us that what looks like defeat can become the gateway to resurrection. What appears to be the end can become a new beginning. And what feels like death can lead to more abundant life.

Today, I embrace the divine paradox at the heart of Good Friday: that in dying, we find life. In giving, we receive. In surrendering, we conquer.

This is the way of the cross. This is the path to transformation.

-- Gary Sheng