Getting Beyond Ourselves

 

 

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It is very helpful to pray for ourselves.  And it is also helpful to realize that every negative thing going on in your experience is actually just a negative suggestion about the spiritual truth of God, man, and woman.

 

Lately I’ve been thinking that some bad school memories probably have some residual effect on me right now.  But actually when I zip back and rewind, I see all there ever has been and is — is God’s perfect child.  I have never been vulnerable or lacking stability or confidence.  There has never been a moment when I haven’t had all that I need because God is always fulfilling my needs.

 

Has God ever not been present?  (This is a rhetorical question…)  Therefore all the spiritual qualities which He/She include, such as poise, grace, love, confidence, wisdom, and inspiration, have always been present.  God is and has been expressing these qualities in me, His reflection, all the time.

 

Has there ever been a child different than the child of God?  No.  This means that a school-bully is simply an illusion or suggestion.  No child has ever been separated from God’s love.  No Beloved child is insecure or aggressive.  Each one is wrapped up in God’s love and we can simply remove the mask, in thought, of an unloved, unwanted school-bully.

 

When these instances come to thought, it’s an opportunity when I can pray for each child and parent, and know the only influence that can go on is good, loving, and pure, the influence of Divinity.

 

I confront other issues in this same way.  When something comes to thought such as personal comparison, jealousy or envy, fear about supply – is this something I’m really dealing with?  No.  This is just the impersonal opposite of God, good.  With a realization that man and woman are created equally — beautiful, balanced, intelligent and complete — I can see (again, in thought) that there can’t be any competition or limited resources; there is only gentleness, kindness, brotherhood and sisterhood between men and women.

 

This sure makes me feel better!  And when I “see” — with my spiritual consciousness — the view is alot clearer and my experience, and the experience of those around me, improves.

 

Jesus’ teachings are so spiritual, practical and tender, full of grace and compassion.  If you haven’t checked them out recently I highly recommend a refresher – especially the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-8).  It speaks about seeing from this spiritual viewpoint, and beholding God’s perfect men and women as the only Creation.

 

Love and Blessings

 

Loving Ourselves

I read an interesting article the other day.  It pointed out to love ourselves first, and then we will have the ability to love our neighbor as ourselves.[i] I feel this point is important when understood in a spiritual perspective.

If I see myself as the spiritual idea that God created – beautiful, useful, intelligent, filled with right ideas, creative, and shining – then I express that, and I’m able to see others that way.

On the contrary, if I’m not seeing myself spiritually, then I’m probably not going to see others spiritually as well.  If I only love myself a little bit or some of the time, than I’m only going to love my neighbor a little bit or some of the time.  We can see ourselves as the spiritual perfect man or woman that God created, and in that way we can be uplifted and help uplift others.

When we love ourselves as God’s child then we naturally bless and include others.  We radiate God’s light.  We see ourselves through the lens of Love, and we are able to see others in the same way.  Giving becomes easier.  We are more productive and appreciative.  We feel more spontaneity, energy and enthusiasm.

Negative thoughts about yourself are draining.  They take away our strength and lead to discouragement.  They may be regret, inadequacy, unworthiness, fear of failure, or lack of confidence.  On the other hand they may be self-righteousness or self-justification.  The type of attitude that says, “I don’t care what anyone else feels; I’m going to do it anyway”; Or it may be criticizing others so that we feel better.  This isn’t loving ourselves as God made us either.

We are each the beloved child of God.  God knows us as spiritual and perfect, eternally abiding in His kingdom.  “In Him we live and move and have our being”.[ii] Therefore we can never be apart from God or leave His side.  No mistake or accident from the past can taint us today.  We are “new-born”[iii] each day, and we can always “put on the new man”[iv].

I had the privilege of attending a Christian marriage seminar shortly after I was married.  Wonderful ideas were shared including this one that I like: we are 100% responsible for how we feel.  This takes pressure off your spouse or anyone else to be the one to please or make you happy.  And it takes pressure off of you to look for someone to make you feel good.

When we are responsible for how we feel, we are much nicer to be around and easier to get along with.  We don’t have to look to someone else for approval or satisfaction; we can look to God to know we are taking the right step and walking the right way.  We can check with God before we do or say anything.  And we know we are already loved.  I like revising the well-known Bible statement that says, “We love him, because he first loved us”[v] to say ‘we love ourselves, because God first loved us’.

Loving yourself is being obedient to God.  God made you and created you.  Loving yourself is acknowledging God’s wonderful creation.   It isn’t selfish at all.  And we are more valuable to Him when we see who we are as He/She created us to be – perfect and eternal in His/Her own spiritual image and likeness.

So let’s love ourselves today, and in that way we will truly be able to love others.


[i] Christian Science Sentinel, “A Promise of Progress”, T. Michael Fish, July 5, 2010

[ii] Holy Bible, King James Version, Acts 17:28

[iii] Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 35

[iv] Holy Bible, King James Version, Eph 4:24, Col 3:10

[v] Holy Bible, King James Version, I John 4:19