The ends is in the means. It’s so helpful to remember that.
For instance, we cannot get to Peace by going to war.
We cannot improve our relationships by making others feel guilty, shaming and blaming them.
We cannot have health and happiness while berating ourselves.
We have to ask ourselves again and again if our desire matches our means to get there or is it merely a wish?
A Course in Miracles tells us: “How can one be sincere and say, ‘I want this above all else, and yet I do not want to learn the means to get it?’ To obtain the goal the Holy Spirit indeed asks little. He asks no more to give the means as well. The means are second to the goal. And when you hesitate, it is because the purpose frightens you, and not the means.”
I speak with so many people who’ve procrastinated, delayed and detoured so often and for so long that they’ve begun to give up on themselves. They’ve begun to feel incompetent, but they’re not. They’re just resisting something and not aware of it.
I’ve had that same feeling.
It gets so discouraging.
Fortunately, I made the decision to REALLY see what God could do with me.
I gave myself over and decided to ALLOW a shift.
I realized that I’m always either constructive or destructive in my contribution to life.
That’s pretty simple. Think about it. In each moment you can be either constructive or destructive, but there really is no middle ground. You’re either being truly helpful or you’re a drag on the system.
I used to sit in the dark and curse the darkness until I realized that I had the option to turn on the light because I AM the Light of God.
The Light doesn’t ever have to ask the darkness to leave. The Light is and the darkness goes.
Darkness has zero power.
Light has ALL power.
It can be subtle and challenging to discern, but since I desire to make a positive contribution ALWAYS, and since I intend to be the bringer of Love and Light ALWAYS, I’m committed to paying attention to even the most subtle waves of energy I’m sending.
I used to fall asleep at the wheel every day, but then I’d start to feel uncomfortable and I’d wake up and remember what my life is for. Now, it happens less and less.
How frequently do I think about whether or not my actions are constructive? All day long. I can feel the difference immediately. All that’s required is for me to be awake in the moment. To be awake in the moment requires my willingness. I’m willing to be awake. I desire to be awake. I’d rather be awake.
How many times have I tried to solve a problem without considering whether or not my solution was actually constructive or merely a band-aid? Millions. But not anymore.
I’m learning to remember and remembering to learn.
Sometimes what I’ve done to make things better has been reactionary, born of a fear of what might happen. Sometimes I’ve known that what I was doing was actually destructive and I’ve gone ahead and done it anyway in order to get a temporary feeling of resolution. This is what I see others doing all the time. We especially see it in politics. People use violence as a quick way to attempt to end violence. It never brings Peace, but they try it again anyway.
In Trumpet of Conscience, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. says, “Means and ends must cohere because the end is preexistent in the means, and ultimately destructive means cannot bring about constructive ends.”
Truth is true for everyone and this is true for ALL of us! It’s also incredibly helpful to us.
The bottom line is: if I have a problem and I try to solve it with anything other than Love, I will still have a problem, and it will definitely manifest in another way. In other words, “what goes around, comes around.”
Many folks resist the truth. They don’t realize that every thought is a choice. They’d rather step back from taking responsibility for every thought they think.
And yet, in taking that responsibility is the very power to change their lives.
Many people feel powerless yet resist the one thing that will empower them: Responsibility. That’s where having a strong aspiration to be of service to the Light in All inspires us to stay awake and make more loving choices.
I desire to serve the Light with every choice I make. I am willing to take responsibility for every choice I make even when I forget my aspiration and get distracted.
Today, in every area of my life, to the very best of my ability, I choose constructive means to bring about constructive ends, for the purpose of our collective awakening. In this way, every day, I can contribute to the liberation of all beings from the dream of separation and suffering. In this way, I can make every day a good day.
I meet so many people who are realizing what it says in ACIM is true – all are called. We’re all called to be what ACIM would call a Teacher of God. A Teacher of God is anyone who has had even a brief realization that they’re not separate from their brothers and sisters. That’s you and that’s me.
In ACIM, Jesus tells us that we’re all are called, but few choose to listen. My decision to listen has inspired others to do the same, and that’s a great service. I’ve come to see that ALL are supported in answering the call.
When we decide to answer the call, that’s when the big shift happens. Spirit will provide the next steps. Now, it’s time for us to be congruent, heart and mind. Let’s be congruent in our actions and choices as well as our thoughts.
I can always just be still and know that all of life is supporting me even when it looks like it isn’t. Holding the high watch – that’s ministering. That’s being a Teacher of God.
Not everything goes the way I wish it would. Lots of things don’t. Some challenges are really intense, but these days, most are not. I’ve found that I’d rather stay in my seat, and remember the call of God than be upset. I’d rather stay in my congruency of ends and means. It’s a journey and I’d like it to be a peaceful, fun, and loving journey – all the way!
If you’ve been thinking you’d like to get into a deeper relationship with Spirit and truly living ACIM, and if you’re willing to make a leap, my Stop Playing Small online retreat is on a super early bird special right now, check it out before the price goes up. You can also get my Finding Freedom From Fear on a super early bird special right now too. These early birds won’t last long so check them out now!
TODAY: it’s Sunday and I’ll be at Sundays With Spirit, come and join me and we’ll celebrate Spirit together with community!
LATEST PODCAST EPISODE! The most recent episode of my podcast’s topic is Having Neutral Thoughts. ACIM tells us that we’ve given everything in this world all the meaning that it has for us and that in order to align with the divine we must surrender the attachment to that meaning and recognize that everything is actually neutral. This can be super challenging, and it is extremely fruitful.
