A Powerful Way to Grow Your Relationship with God
As I was preparing for the next From Stress to Peace class, I ran across the following quote from A Course in Miracles:
“The whole reality of your relationship with Him lies in our relationship to one another.”
It was a line that I highlighted in the book back in 2007, around the time I was first introduced to the Course. At the time, I was in a challenging place in my marriage so my focus was on viewing my marriage as a model for my relationship with God. This time, it stopped me in my tracks for a different reason. In that moment, I fully realized the deep Truth that lies in that statement. Not because I believed in it, but because I knew it.
Those of you who have been following the blog since the beginning know that the past year and a half has been one of deep spiritual inquiry and practice. One of the major components of my daily practice was remembering that God lies within each of us. We are made of the very same essence, because we were created in His image and likeness.
So, when I got frustrated with someone, or felt the desire to judge someone whose actions I viewed as wrong, I would practice forgiveness by remembering that they have only forgotten their True Nature. And just because they have forgotten doesn’t mean I have to as well. I practiced standing firm in the Truth beyond the form (the body); I focused on the Spirit within, which we all share.
This practice has transformed the way I experience the world so profoundly. It has deepened my relationship with God immeasurably. The main lesson I got from it all was that since we all are extensions of God, then every interaction we have is precious – it is a chance to greet God through another. Regardless of the costume the person in front of you is temporarily wearing, when it comes off (when the body is laid aside), they will return to the Source just as you will.
Mother Teresa was once asked how she could continue caring for the “terminally” ill so compassionately and lovingly each day, knowing that they are going to transition. She said, “It’s not hard because in each of them I see the face of Christ in one of His more distressing disguises.” She clearly understood this Truth, and lived it every day.
After reconnecting to this powerful quote from the Course, I was guided to open up my Nurturing Spirituality in Children book, which has activities that can be done with children to help them grasp spiritual concepts. I initially thought I was being guided to share this lesson with my boys. While that was true, there was a powerful reminder for me there as well; one that broke this lesson down much more simply than I had been able to in the past.
I paused when I got to the lesson entitled, “The Inside Gives Form to the Outside.” It guides the parent (or teacher, etc.) to give each child a balloon and have them blow it up. Then it explains that the “invisible gives form to the visible,” and that each balloon symbolizes a person. The air inside the balloon represents the “breath of life.” Each person is filled with the “breath of life” (e.g. God, Spirit) just like the balloons. Then it guides the parent to say:
“People see only the outside of the balloon or the outside of people, and they tend to think that’s the most important part. What’s really important, however, is what’s on the inside, because what’s on the inside creates the outside. It’s the inside that gives form to the balloon. Otherwise, it would be limp and useless, like one of the uninflated balloons. ..We need to know that the inside of others are more important than their outside forms. The air inside us is important because it is what gives us life…What is most important is the Spirit within.”
It goes on to facilitate the parent’s explanation of “death” being the release of air, or life, back to its Source. I love this metaphor – not only for children, but for all of us. The moments in which we remember that everyone that we interact with on a daily basis is truly a living expression of God, we are in Heaven. There is no greater purpose on this Earth than to remember the Truth about ourselves and return Home.
Have you tried practicing seeing everyone who crosses your path as the Spirit within, regardless of the actions they are taking? If not, start small, and practice it for a period of time (they say it takes between 21-28 days to create a habit). Eventually, it will become a way of life, and you will be amazed by your intimacy with God. You will move from believing in a Power outside of yourself to knowing that Power lies right within you.
Keep shining!
~Kandace
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Kandace Jones
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BLOG: http://kandacejones.wordpress.com
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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!