"But for [all] my desire, I could [see] of this (hell or purgatory) right nought (nothing)."
Julian of Norwich (Ch. 33)
What if there was never anything to fear from God, because He is not a punishing God? What if His justice wasn't to punish or destroy or torment people but to heal and reconcile and restore people? What if our own shame was what tormented us and Jesus died to console us, to comfort us, to take away from us anything that would give us a sense of shame, guilt and unworthiness? What if it was for us, not God! So wouldn't that mean that there is no otherworldly suffering, purgatory, torment, hell, punishment, chastisement, or pain awaiting us at all! Wouldn't that mean that there is only love awaiting us, only a celebration, only a 'welcome home,' only the Father who has loved us since forever, only the most wonderful embrace we could imagine!
We can put fears of hell or purgatory away and realize that all this time, we have always been safely in God, and that we always will be, for there is no other place to be, no 'outside' of God at all, only inside of God, inside of love, inside of our true Home, in His embrace forever!
"In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."
Psalm 16:11 (NKJV)
A Prayer: Thank You for the promise of joy forever in Your presence! Thank You that there is nowhere that is outside of You or Your love!