I was having a conversation today with a person I connected with on a networking app. Judging by the things she said and her blog, she is doing the inner work and learning to be herself – not what she thinks others expect her to be, but her self. Raw. Unabridged. Perfect. I applaud her work!
I was inspired to give her the quote from scripture: Luke 12:31 “Seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you.” The interpretation here is that the “kingdom of God” is the inner work; the “within.” Ann pointed out to me the following verse which comes not too long after: Luke 17:21 “… indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” That’s pretty point-blank. The kingdom of God is within. It’s not “up there” or “out there;” it’s “in here.” That’s where your real work is done.
The message is to focus on the inner work. Learn to be your true self, and true to your self. Forgive yourself for what you might perceive to be “faults” – most likely they are simply characteristics of who you think someone else expects you to be. Know that in God’s mind you are perfect. Yes, you may be doing things or have done things that you now wish you didn’t. Forgive yourself. Understand that all things, all experiences, are blessings. You are not a better person only because of the things you did that turned out to your satisfaction. You are also and maybe more so a better person because of the way you grew through your “mistakes.” But there are no mistakes, only actions that produced results that you didn’t like or enjoy much in the moment.
Think of it this way: the things you have done that turned out well were easy. You didn’t pay much for them. They were inexpensive. The things you have done or experienced that did not turn out well were tough. You paid a lot for them. Maybe you paid for them “dearly.” I ask you which do you value more – the things you got for free or cheap, or the things for which you paid dearly?
I often counsel people thusly: You came into this world with your own special power – a power that is unique to you. The best and most powerful work (creation) you can do is done when you are thinking, feeling, talking and behaving in alignment with your power – your own unique power, not what someone else told you that you should be or do. When you try to be something else, you cannot bring the same power to bear. For one thing, you don’t have the same power doing or being something or someone else. Secondly, you are using a part of this reduced power to try to maintain the façade. So it’s a double-whammy. You simply cannot be nearly as powerful or effective when you try to use power that doesn’t align with yours.
How do you know what your power is? That’s easy: it’s your passion! What are you passionate about? When you work with your passion, you bring your best game. You can accomplish miracles! You will be most powerful following your passion. You will likely be the most successful following your own passion. Don’t let someone else define your passion for you, or tell you who you should be. Don’t let you tell yourself who you should be based on what you think others think you should be. I assure you, you came into this life knowing what your passion is. Often, if not usually, this is trained out of us. We are taught NOT to dream, NOT to play, NOT to imagine. But these are some of our most powerful abilities! “When we pray, we’re talking to God. When we use our intuition, God’s talking to us.” – unknown.
So, do the inner work. Reconnect with yourself. Remember what your passion is – I assure you that you knew it earlier in your life if not now. Learn to understand the “failures” as the hard-won and valuable blessings that they are. Mahatma Ghandi said “If you can’t see God in the next person you meet, you need look no further.” The person closest to you is YOU, so if you can’t see God in YOU, you need look no further. Cherish who you are! Love yourself!
Footnote:
The first scripture I quoted is the version of the same quote that is in both Luke, and Matthew (6:26). It’s the “Do not worry” passage. This is one of my favorite passages. It’s one of the more poignant calls to an abundance mindset: do not worry, trust that your needs are fulfilled.
Here are the full verses:
Luke 12:22-32 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, nor about the body, what will you put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn, and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? If you are then not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow. They neither toil nor spin, and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith? And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, or have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and God knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. Do not fear, little flock, for it is in God’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
Luke 17:20-21: “Now when he was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”
Seek First
I was having a conversation today with a person I connected with on a networking app. Judging by the things she said and her blog, she is doing the inner work and learning to be herself – not what she thinks others expect her to be, but her self. Raw. Unabridged. Perfect. I applaud her work!
I was inspired to give her the quote from scripture: Luke 12:31 “Seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you.” The interpretation here is that the “kingdom of God” is the inner work; the “within.” Ann pointed out to me the following verse which comes not too long after: Luke 17:21 “… indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” That’s pretty point-blank. The kingdom of God is within. It’s not “up there” or “out there;” it’s “in here.” That’s where your real work is done.
The message is to focus on the inner work. Learn to be your true self, and true to your self. Forgive yourself for what you might perceive to be “faults” – most likely they are simply characteristics of who you think someone else expects you to be. Know that in God’s mind you are perfect. Yes, you may be doing things or have done things that you now wish you didn’t. Forgive yourself. Understand that all things, all experiences, are blessings. You are not a better person only because of the things you did that turned out to your satisfaction. You are also and maybe more so a better person because of the way you grew through your “mistakes.” But there are no mistakes, only actions that produced results that you didn’t like or enjoy much in the moment.
Think of it this way: the things you have done that turned out well were easy. You didn’t pay much for them. They were inexpensive. The things you have done or experienced that did not turn out well were tough. You paid a lot for them. Maybe you paid for them “dearly.” I ask you which do you value more – the things you got for free or cheap, or the things for which you paid dearly?
I often counsel people thusly: You came into this world with your own special power – a power that is unique to you. The best and most powerful work (creation) you can do is done when you are thinking, feeling, talking and behaving in alignment with your power – your own unique power, not what someone else told you that you should be or do. When you try to be something else, you cannot bring the same power to bear. For one thing, you don’t have the same power doing or being something or someone else. Secondly, you are using a part of this reduced power to try to maintain the façade. So it’s a double-whammy. You simply cannot be nearly as powerful or effective when you try to use power that doesn’t align with yours.
How do you know what your power is? That’s easy: it’s your passion! What are you passionate about? When you work with your passion, you bring your best game. You can accomplish miracles! You will be most powerful following your passion. You will likely be the most successful following your own passion. Don’t let someone else define your passion for you, or tell you who you should be. Don’t let you tell yourself who you should be based on what you think others think you should be. I assure you, you came into this life knowing what your passion is. Often, if not usually, this is trained out of us. We are taught NOT to dream, NOT to play, NOT to imagine. But these are some of our most powerful abilities! “When we pray, we’re talking to God. When we use our intuition, God’s talking to us.” – unknown.
So, do the inner work. Reconnect with yourself. Remember what your passion is – I assure you that you knew it earlier in your life if not now. Learn to understand the “failures” as the hard-won and valuable blessings that they are. Mahatma Ghandi said “If you can’t see God in the next person you meet, you need look no further.” The person closest to you is YOU, so if you can’t see God in YOU, you need look no further. Cherish who you are! Love yourself!
Footnote:
The first scripture I quoted is the version of the same quote that is in both Luke, and Matthew (6:26). It’s the “Do not worry” passage. This is one of my favorite passages. It’s one of the more poignant calls to an abundance mindset: do not worry, trust that your needs are fulfilled.
Here are the full verses:
Luke 12:22-32 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, nor about the body, what will you put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn, and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? If you are then not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow. They neither toil nor spin, and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith? And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, or have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and God knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. Do not fear, little flock, for it is in God’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
Luke 17:20-21: “Now when he was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”
Deeper Question: