Wisdom from PositiveChristianity.org: Surrender
I am preparing to dive into National Novel Writing Month, and will return with original meditations in December.
PositiveChristianity.org is one of my favorite resources. Here is their October 28, 2013 post:
It has been said, Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more
than standing in a garage makes you a car. I’ve met some of the finest
people that I’ve ever met in church, and also, to be honest, some of the
worst. Some people come to worship God in love, and some just to carry out
personal agendas, or human power trips. Of course the latter is missing
EVERYTHING.
Personal power can be an addiction. Needing to be in control of others and
situations, can often rob a person of spiritual spontaneity of the
serendipitous experience of finding unexpected good.
The ultimate power, is human surrender, to experience the FULL power
of the infilling of the Christ.
Spiritual masters have said for centuries, that we must empty ourselves so
that we may be full. Each of us, at times, have been so full of ourselves
that nothing else could come in. This only continues for a temporary time
though, because we soon discover we are not any good on our own.
In (the book of) John, Jesus said, “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I
judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the
will of the Father which hath sent me.”
In (the book of) John, Jesus said, “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own
will, but the will of him that sent me.”
We must be about the business of God, not limited human agenda. The
business of God is love.
Each of us is probably felt alone and helpless at some point in our lives,
often at a time like this we want to take matters into our own hands and
control everything. But when we are in total human control of people, and
events—we are really out of control.
Especially at these times, let us remember that God is our protector and
provider. We may need to create an image in our minds that reassures us.
Can we envision ourselves protected as a child, who is tenderly cradled in
the arms of a loving parent? Perhaps we envision the way before us cleared
of all obstacles as we look for new opportunity.
These mental pictures serve us well, for they remind us that God’s
presence is everywhere that we are. They remind us that we can never be
where the presence of God is not. We do not have to be controlling to win
in life. We win in life when we allow God to inspire our thinking and
direct our moves. We win in life when our actions are for the good of all,
not just ourselves.
The real desire to control others and events has its root cause in fear.
When God surrounds us, and is within us—there is nothing to fear.
The ultimate power that we can feel as a human being is our connection
with our source of power, God.
If we are experiencing a challenge that is causing us to be confused, or
in doubt about the right decision to make, we do not have to have high
anxiety and fear about it. We don’t have to be in control, we have to be
in prayer.
Wherever we are, we can be in communion with God. No matter how trivial or
serious our challenge is, God will listen. God cares. As we talk with God
in prayer, our mind is eased, and the burden is lifted. We will often find
that our way is not the best way. God will guide us to the highest
possible solutions and wisdom. God will also guide our actions and our
directions.
As we speak freely and honestly with God, our mind and heart are opened to
Divine inspiration. As we listen to God, and emptying ourselves of
personal opinion, will, and agenda, we find that we can hear the answers,
and understand the guidance.
We relax in life as we let go. Joy and love come forth from our heart and
we are able to offer true words of praise and thanksgiving for the
unbelievable perfect answers to everything in our life.
---from PositiveChristianity.org, with many thanks!
PositiveChristianity.org is one of my favorite resources. Here is their October 28, 2013 post:
It has been said, Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more
than standing in a garage makes you a car. I’ve met some of the finest
people that I’ve ever met in church, and also, to be honest, some of the
worst. Some people come to worship God in love, and some just to carry out
personal agendas, or human power trips. Of course the latter is missing
EVERYTHING.
Personal power can be an addiction. Needing to be in control of others and
situations, can often rob a person of spiritual spontaneity of the
serendipitous experience of finding unexpected good.
The ultimate power, is human surrender, to experience the FULL power
of the infilling of the Christ.
Spiritual masters have said for centuries, that we must empty ourselves so
that we may be full. Each of us, at times, have been so full of ourselves
that nothing else could come in. This only continues for a temporary time
though, because we soon discover we are not any good on our own.
In (the book of) John, Jesus said, “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I
judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the
will of the Father which hath sent me.”
In (the book of) John, Jesus said, “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own
will, but the will of him that sent me.”
We must be about the business of God, not limited human agenda. The
business of God is love.
Each of us is probably felt alone and helpless at some point in our lives,
often at a time like this we want to take matters into our own hands and
control everything. But when we are in total human control of people, and
events—we are really out of control.
Especially at these times, let us remember that God is our protector and
provider. We may need to create an image in our minds that reassures us.
Can we envision ourselves protected as a child, who is tenderly cradled in
the arms of a loving parent? Perhaps we envision the way before us cleared
of all obstacles as we look for new opportunity.
These mental pictures serve us well, for they remind us that God’s
presence is everywhere that we are. They remind us that we can never be
where the presence of God is not. We do not have to be controlling to win
in life. We win in life when we allow God to inspire our thinking and
direct our moves. We win in life when our actions are for the good of all,
not just ourselves.
The real desire to control others and events has its root cause in fear.
When God surrounds us, and is within us—there is nothing to fear.
The ultimate power that we can feel as a human being is our connection
with our source of power, God.
If we are experiencing a challenge that is causing us to be confused, or
in doubt about the right decision to make, we do not have to have high
anxiety and fear about it. We don’t have to be in control, we have to be
in prayer.
Wherever we are, we can be in communion with God. No matter how trivial or
serious our challenge is, God will listen. God cares. As we talk with God
in prayer, our mind is eased, and the burden is lifted. We will often find
that our way is not the best way. God will guide us to the highest
possible solutions and wisdom. God will also guide our actions and our
directions.
As we speak freely and honestly with God, our mind and heart are opened to
Divine inspiration. As we listen to God, and emptying ourselves of
personal opinion, will, and agenda, we find that we can hear the answers,
and understand the guidance.
We relax in life as we let go. Joy and love come forth from our heart and
we are able to offer true words of praise and thanksgiving for the
unbelievable perfect answers to everything in our life.
---from PositiveChristianity.org, with many thanks!
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