Answering the "Call"
"Many are called but few are chosen" should be, "All are called but few choose to listen.” (T-3.IV.7)
When I was a teenager I considered myself an atheist. I experienced an inner Voice I called my “inner therapist” because I found I could go to It with problems. Often I did this in writing. And I always got a loving answer. But this was so very different from what I thought of as “God”. “God” was supposed to be a mean old man who couldn’t tolerate independence in his children, who sacrificed his “one son” in some incomprehensible arrangement to save the rest of his children and who didn’t want anyone to have any fun. To satisfy this god you had to declare yourself a sinner, accept a man who lived two thousand years ago into your life, make sacrifices, waste Sunday morning in Church, live by strict gender roles, have sex only in a heterosexual marriage, and be a hypocritical goody-two-shoes. This god bore no resemblance to the loving Presence I experienced within.
One day my friends and I were having an argument about Jesus. They each considered themselves Christian -- I think largely out of superstitious fear, because not one of them was involved in any church or in Christian culture in any way. I don’t remember the exact argument, but as we were walking to class I suddenly knew with total certainty that what Jesus was everyone could be. Then the still, quiet Voice asked, “Why don’t you try to be that then?” I dismissed this thought by thinking, “I’m not that ambitious.” And with that I shut the door on Holy Spirit.
But I was too late. I had let in the awareness of my potential. I had “chosen to listen”, even if only for a moment. And that was enough. My life has not been my own since.
It was not a “conscious” decision to welcome Holy Spirit into my awareness. And of course, I’ve gone through long phases of my life where I thought I was off my spiritual path. But looking back, I see how everything worked for me to be where I am today. I’ve been riding along a current and all my struggles against it and decisions to ignore it have been just so much wasted effort.
When did you answer the call?
www.acimmentor.com
To receive this blog in your email contact me at Liz@acimmentor.com
When I was a teenager I considered myself an atheist. I experienced an inner Voice I called my “inner therapist” because I found I could go to It with problems. Often I did this in writing. And I always got a loving answer. But this was so very different from what I thought of as “God”. “God” was supposed to be a mean old man who couldn’t tolerate independence in his children, who sacrificed his “one son” in some incomprehensible arrangement to save the rest of his children and who didn’t want anyone to have any fun. To satisfy this god you had to declare yourself a sinner, accept a man who lived two thousand years ago into your life, make sacrifices, waste Sunday morning in Church, live by strict gender roles, have sex only in a heterosexual marriage, and be a hypocritical goody-two-shoes. This god bore no resemblance to the loving Presence I experienced within.
One day my friends and I were having an argument about Jesus. They each considered themselves Christian -- I think largely out of superstitious fear, because not one of them was involved in any church or in Christian culture in any way. I don’t remember the exact argument, but as we were walking to class I suddenly knew with total certainty that what Jesus was everyone could be. Then the still, quiet Voice asked, “Why don’t you try to be that then?” I dismissed this thought by thinking, “I’m not that ambitious.” And with that I shut the door on Holy Spirit.
But I was too late. I had let in the awareness of my potential. I had “chosen to listen”, even if only for a moment. And that was enough. My life has not been my own since.
It was not a “conscious” decision to welcome Holy Spirit into my awareness. And of course, I’ve gone through long phases of my life where I thought I was off my spiritual path. But looking back, I see how everything worked for me to be where I am today. I’ve been riding along a current and all my struggles against it and decisions to ignore it have been just so much wasted effort.
When did you answer the call?
www.acimmentor.com
To receive this blog in your email contact me at Liz@acimmentor.com
Comments
So I shelved the question but it kept gnawing at me. Every church I ever went to (which were few) had a slightly different view of what the bible said and all of them taught about a loving, vengeful God. It didn't make sense!
So I studied " other Gods" like Buddha & the Tao. But they left me confused with their strange sayings that seemed like double talk. "The Tao that can be named is not the Tao". Huh!?
To make a long story short. (Its just a story anyway ) I eventually came across ACIM about 2 years ago. I found Truth! Both in words and my experience!
Now I'm in my 2nd "semester" with PathwaysOfLight.org to become an ordained ACIM Minister.
I know spirit will lead my life as it always has! But now I'm willing!!