Resurrecting the Christ in You
This year, Resurrection Day has a deeper meaning to me than it has in years past. I just celebrated my 33rd birthday, the age Jesus was when demonstrated eternal life, and I have experienced a significant quickening of my spiritual evolution over the past year. One thing that has become crystal clear to me is the Divine potential in us all; the ability for us all to resurrect the Christ within us.
For much of my life, I believed that Jesus had abilities that no other man could realize. Despite his words to the contrary (“Greater than these things you will do,” etc.), I couldn’t make sense of why God would create a “special” being that had potential on the human plane that no one else could realize. I thought it was unfair, and had low motivation to strive for something I believed I could never achieve for myself.
For years, I went without any type of daily spiritual practice (prayer, meditation, reading scripture, etc.). I went to church occasionally, but didn’t do much beyond that in my daily life. It wasn’t until I hit rock bottom that I came crawling back to living a spiritual life. This time, I was more open to hearing other interpretations of the Master Teacher’s life. The right teachers and books came to me at just the moment in my life when I was willing to listen. I had no idea the reward would be so great.
With new eyes, I discovered the essence of Jesus’ teachings – separate the dogma. I studied his life, his words in the Bible as well as books that were not included in the Bible, his spiritual travels and studies during his earlier years that are not documented in the Bible, and his modern teachings as presented in A Course in Miracles.
Most importantly, for one year straight, I relentlessly followed his teachings (“The Way”). Yes, there were moments in which I backslid, but I quickly forgave myself and continued the journey. I wanted to stop judging the teachings as right, wrong, stolen, or copied, and just start trying to live them and see what happened.
So, what did happen? The Kingdom of Heaven appeared before my very eyes. Not figuratively, literally. A Love not of this world overpowered my desire to hate, judge, condemn, and fear others. A Peace beyond all understanding consumed me and gave my soul respite. A joy, unspeakable joy, broke out in my heart. I was free. Free from the bondage to the body and worldly conditions. I had realized my eternal nature, and the eternal nature of all life. The Christ in me had been resurrected! In that moment, I realized that Jesus was demonstrating the Divinity of all life.
I am so grateful for this, and know that it was not for my own glorification. It was to remind all with ears to hear of the Christ that dwells within them. There are many prophets, sages, mystics, and saints who have pointed the way to this same Truth. The Way that Jesus laid out happens to be the path that was destined for me to realize my Divinity in this lifetime, and has been, and will be, the Way for many others. You will hear me reference many great spiritual teachers on this blog, as I have reverence for many of their words, but words cannot express the place that Jesus holds in my heart. Through my belief in him, and willingness to be steadfast in applying his teachings to my life, I was healed and given new life. In the quiet moments, and when I call on him, I can feel his presence around me. He is the Teacher that appeared to me in my darkest hour. I don’t take this lightly.
My life mission now is to pay it forward. I look forward to the inevitable day that all will realize (or, remember) their innate Divinity, and pray that I may be a “memory-charger” for all who cross my path and are seeking Truth in this lifetime. I will leave you with some truly powerful reading for this weekend – excerpts from “The Message of the Crucifixion” and “Waking to Redemption” chapters of A Course in Miracles (T-6; T-11):
“Your resurrection is your reawakening. I am the model for rebirth, but rebirth itself is merely the dawning on your mind of what is already in it. God placed it there Himself, and so it is true forever. I believed in it, and therefore accepted it as true for me. Help me teach it to our brothers in the name of the Kingdom of God, but first believe that it is true for you, or you will teach amiss…I elected, for your sake and mine to demonstrate that the most outrageous assault, as judged by the ego, does not matter. As the world judges these things, but not as God knows them, I was betrayed, beaten, torn, and finally killed. It was clear that this was only because of the projection of others onto me, since I had not harmed anyone and healed many.
We are still equal as learners, although we do not need to have equal experiences. The Holy Spirit is glad when you can learn from mine and be reawakened by them. That is their only purpose, and that is the only way in which I can be perceived as the way, the truth and the life…The crucifixion cannot be shared because it is the symbol of projection, but the resurrection is the symbol of sharing because the reawakening of every Son of God is necessary to enable the Sonship to know its Wholeness. Only this is knowledge. The message of the crucifixion is perfectly clear:
‘Teach only love, for that is what you are.’
If you interpreted the crucifixion any other way, you are using it as a weapon for assault rather than as the call for peace for which it was intended.”
“Resurrection must compel your allegiance gladly, because it is a symbol of joy. Its whole compelling power lies in the fact that it represents the way you want to be. The freedom to leave behind everything that hurts you and humbles you and frightens you cannot be thrust upon you, but it can be offered you through the grace of God. And you can accept it by His grace, for God is gracious to His Son, accepting him without question as His Own. Who, then is your own? The Father has given you all that is His, and He Himself is yours with them. Guard them in their resurrection, for otherwise you will not awake in God, safely surrounded by what is yours forever.
You will not find peace until you have removed the nails from the hands of God’s Son, and taken the last thorn from his forehead. The Love of God surrounds His Son whom the god of crucifixion condemns. Teach not that I died in vain. Teach rather that I did not die by demonstrating that I live in you. For the undoing of the crucifixion of God’s Son is the work of redemption, in which everyone has a part of equal value. God does not judge His guiltless Son. Having given Himself to him, how could it be otherwise?
You will awaken to your own call, for the Call to awake is within you. If I live in you, you are awake. Yet you must see the works I do through you, or you will not perceive that I have done them unto you. Do not set limits on what you believe I can do through you, or you will not accept what I can do for you. Yet it is done already, and unless you give all that you have received you will not know you’re your redeemer liveth, and that you have awakened with him. Redemption is recognized only by sharing it.”
What about you? Are you ready to awaken to your Divine nature? What, if anything, is holding you back from believing it is possible for you in this lifetime? What holds you back from loving everyone and everything as yourself? Some questions to ponder on this day of remembrance…
Have a beautiful day! Keep shining!
~Kandace
———————-——
Kandace Jones
———————-——
BLOG: http://kandacejones.wordpress.com
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/livinginthelight
TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/queenkandace
About the Author: Kandace Jones
I used to live life shackled by fear, doubt, and worry. I put on a happy face while navigating my day-to-day duties, but I was emotionally drained, stressed, and unhappy. When I hit rock bottom, and was diagnosed with depression and anxiety, I was determined to live life differently. I knew there had to be another way. Out of that determination, and guidance from Spirit, the "Living in the Light" blog was born. It documents my spiritual journey out of the darkness and into the Light. After nine months of publicly sharing my journey, and consciously releasing my attachment to the ego, I experienced a powerful spiritual awakening. I went from living in fear, doubt, worry, and stress to complete inner peace. My greatest passion has become assisting others on their own journey to inner peace.
My spiritual memoir, From Stress to Peace: An Intimate Journal on the Journey from Living in Darkness to Living in the Light, is available now on Amazon and BN.com. Click the tabs at the top of the page to learn more about the From Stress to Peace 21-Day Challenge, Living in the Light Retreats, 1:1 sessions, and the Living in the Light Community - all of which are designed to support your journey to inner peace. I appreciate you taking the time to visit the blog and look forward to supporting you in any way I can!