Tags
Affirmations, Effort, Extraordinary Life, Goals, God, Higher Love, Jesus Christ, Jobs, Paramahansa Yogananda
In this life, we set our goals, say our affirmations and bring into our lives what we need and/or what we want. I may not have set big goals in my life, but I did decide to make that sale, finish that design, or submit a certain number of loans to underwriting by the end of the day.
There is more than one quote in the Bible related to achievement that goes something like, “I can do nothing on my own,” or, “Of myself, I am powerless.” Until the viral meningitis in 1997, which was like being flattened by an 18-wheeler, I had not understood what those words meant. When I was truly powerless, they took on a new, imperative meaning.
The weird thing is, we have to do our jobs if we want to keep them. We certainly cannot say, “Sorry, boss, I am powerless;” or, “I was tuned into my Higher Self and had to do that work.” Jesus Christ said, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s; give to God what is God’s.” Paramahansa Yogananda taught that we find good work (as in, no criminal endeavors), give our best to it every day, and that our efforts will be recognized by God and man. An old saying goes, “Bloom where you’re planted;” it may be the best way to say, ‘We’re unhappy when we don’t give our best.’ Besides, doing a good job right now is the doorway to the next place or stage of our lives.
‘I can do nothing on my own,’ may be irritating to our ego-selves, but without the support of the Universe, we cannot draw even a single breath. Not one breath! Any morning we wake up may be our last. Our acquisitions and desires all go ‘Poof!’ the second we no longer occupy a body. I suppose this is why true leaders throughout time have taught us to open ourselves to Higher Love and to serve, so that when we do go, that is our example, our legacy of Spirit left for others.
When we abandon ourselves to The Whole, knowing that wherever we are guided is exactly where we are meant to be, we also know this guidance carries us to the next place we are meant to be, and so on. In this way, life is much more than success in the eyes of the world. In this way, we are partners with God, the Dao, the Universe, and are participating in life in a truly extraordinary manner.
Pam….this is powerful post that is beautifully written….Thank you. It is so good to have you back; sharing your hard won wisdom with us all!!..Kim
Thank you, KIm. :)
I understand what you’re saying, I do, yet it is really hard to be where you’re meant to be when that’s living very poorly, unable to afford to feed your child, or not getting work. It’s just a difficult thing to believe.
Yet, I really appreciate what you’ve written.
Oh, how you tug on my heartstrings! I ask those very same questions almost every day. After watching the news about the horrors in Somalia (in 8/2011), I wrote this post: http://notesalongthepath.com/2011/08/02/do-we-choose-our-lives-or-not/. I guess it was my way of trying to understand the pain of living in such terrible situations. I am disabled by a chronic illness and cannot work even part-time, so I live on disability benefits. I have forgotten on many days to be grateful for those benefits, only seeing what I can’t do or can’t have. I can only say now that ingratitude has not been my path to positive change. I have to find the quiet space inside to feel gratitude, which prepares the way for positive changes, whatever they may be. I hope you are blessed to help others find their way.
Great perspective! Thanks for reminding me on how I need to do my part, AND have faith that I am being guided. My ego always needs to be checked, so thanks!
Hi Vanessa, Thanks for commenting and, don’t worry, all of our egos need to be checked. It’s one thing we humans have in common. Knowing our egos need checking means we’re solidly on our spiritual path. Now, if we can just stop our egos from taking credit for that! :)