(Recent observations on my Spiritual Journey)
The movie thing was fun, but I’ve been thinking more about the previous post regarding all of us being on a Spiritual Journey. Isn’t it cool that they all begin in the same way—with a first breath somewhere on the space/time continuum of planet Earth and with a final breath the same? We come in with nothing and we go out with nothing. Doesn’t that prove the primacy of the spiritual sides of our lives?
I avow to be on my Spiritual Journey and to know it. Doesn’t that imply that I should be learning something? If I were in culinary school, shouldn’t you expect at least a few recipes? Of course, the Spirit doesn’t process like food does, so you can only draw the analogy so far.
These are the latest sign posts/ flash cards/ illuminations that are cropping up on my pathway:
1) Trust is more important that effort. When I operate from the effort place, I am usually striving to please God. When I operate from the trust place, I am responding to the knowledge that God is already pleased with me. One brings chains and the other brings freedom. The motivation for effort stems from self. The motivation for trust comes from love. James said, “Faith without works is dead.” True enough. But, out of context, that ignores the horse to worry about the cart. If the works do not spring forth from faith, the effort is fruitless. If I am trusting in God, He will not keep me inactive. If I am inactive, I need to examine examine my faith.
2) My heart is more important than my doctrine. Mahatma Gandhi did not profess to a faith in Jesus Christ. Yet, I would bet (well, shouldn’t bet) he was nearer to God than many professed Christians. You can make a proclamation of faith without having any—we humans are wonderful liars. A real interaction with God will always have the same result—a turning of our hearts toward love. I suspect that Mahatma and Jesus are enjoying a loving eternal relationship right now. (I must confess that I have no knowledge of the condition of Mahatma’s heart, but I’m counting more on Jesus than him.)
3) The Triune God—impossible for us to comprehend—is good news for every person on the planet. Separate. Equal. One. How can we possibly grasp that? We don’t have enough love in our hearts (yet) to understand. Still, the essence of our being is the manifestation of that love. We say Father, Son and Holy Ghost, but I’ve learned enough to know that our gender roles mean nothing to Them. The really cool part is that on our Spiritual Journeys, they have that same characteristic—separate, equal, one—in their relationships with us. The fun we can have, the joy we can share, the love we can experience. That love which proceeds from Them is meant to pass through us and reach out to others. What a plan!
Boy, writing about it is pretty exciting—I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.
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