Opening Your Mind to God's Help
There’s a parable that many of you have probably heard in some form that I am going to share here:
An old man wakes one morning to find his town flooded and water lapping at his porch. Soon a fire truck comes sloshing through the water and the firefighters offer to take him to higher ground. “That’s okay,” the old man responds. “God will take care of me.”
The next morning the water has risen above the first floor. The old man is looking out a second-storey window when a boat comes by and the rescuers offer him a ride. “No thank you,” the old man says. “God will take care of me.”
Overnight the water continues to rise and morning finds the old man sitting on his roof. A helicopter appears and a rescuer descends with a basket to help take the old man to safety. “I’m okay,” the old man reassures him. “God will take care of me.”
The old man drowns that day. When he reaches heaven he sees God and asks, “Why didn’t you save me?”
And God replied, “I sent you a fire truck, a boat and a helicopter. What more do you want?”
You have to wonder what the old man was thinking, don’t you? Did he expect to suddenly be able to fly, or perhaps to walk on water? More likely he thought the flood would recede before it got too late. He had decided for himself what form the Holy Spirit’s help should take and this blinded him to the help he was sent. He was afraid to lose his home and so decided that God would help him keep it.
When we cling to the form that things take in this world we close our minds and cannot hear the Holy Spirit. Some people are too afraid to leave unhealthy relationships because they fear they will not find love again. They won’t quit the job they hate because it is familiar and comfortable in that sense. They won’t leave situations in their lives they know no longer serve them because they fear they will lose something of value. Underneath what they fear is the particular form they are clinging to is the only form of love, security, happiness fulfillment available – even when that form no longer provides those things, they still have the hope it will again. Fear closes their minds to the replacement form the Holy Spirit would bring that would better provide for them.
The old man above may have felt he would never find comfortable shelter again. He may have felt he could not live without the things in the home itself – the personal items, the tangible memories. He didn’t have faith that God would provide everything he needed – physically and emotionally. In essence, he made the form of these things an idol, the source of his happiness, a replacement for God. If he had truly believed God would take care of him, he would have kept an open mind and recognized the help that had manifested for him.
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Receive this bi-weekly blog directly in your email by contacting Liz@acimmentor.com.Now available at www.acimmentor.com: Understanding A Course in Miracles: A Quick Reference for Students.
An old man wakes one morning to find his town flooded and water lapping at his porch. Soon a fire truck comes sloshing through the water and the firefighters offer to take him to higher ground. “That’s okay,” the old man responds. “God will take care of me.”
The next morning the water has risen above the first floor. The old man is looking out a second-storey window when a boat comes by and the rescuers offer him a ride. “No thank you,” the old man says. “God will take care of me.”
Overnight the water continues to rise and morning finds the old man sitting on his roof. A helicopter appears and a rescuer descends with a basket to help take the old man to safety. “I’m okay,” the old man reassures him. “God will take care of me.”
The old man drowns that day. When he reaches heaven he sees God and asks, “Why didn’t you save me?”
And God replied, “I sent you a fire truck, a boat and a helicopter. What more do you want?”
You have to wonder what the old man was thinking, don’t you? Did he expect to suddenly be able to fly, or perhaps to walk on water? More likely he thought the flood would recede before it got too late. He had decided for himself what form the Holy Spirit’s help should take and this blinded him to the help he was sent. He was afraid to lose his home and so decided that God would help him keep it.
When we cling to the form that things take in this world we close our minds and cannot hear the Holy Spirit. Some people are too afraid to leave unhealthy relationships because they fear they will not find love again. They won’t quit the job they hate because it is familiar and comfortable in that sense. They won’t leave situations in their lives they know no longer serve them because they fear they will lose something of value. Underneath what they fear is the particular form they are clinging to is the only form of love, security, happiness fulfillment available – even when that form no longer provides those things, they still have the hope it will again. Fear closes their minds to the replacement form the Holy Spirit would bring that would better provide for them.
The old man above may have felt he would never find comfortable shelter again. He may have felt he could not live without the things in the home itself – the personal items, the tangible memories. He didn’t have faith that God would provide everything he needed – physically and emotionally. In essence, he made the form of these things an idol, the source of his happiness, a replacement for God. If he had truly believed God would take care of him, he would have kept an open mind and recognized the help that had manifested for him.
>>>>
Receive this bi-weekly blog directly in your email by contacting Liz@acimmentor.com.Now available at www.acimmentor.com: Understanding A Course in Miracles: A Quick Reference for Students.
Comments
I feel conflicted about the idea of leaving an unhealthy relationship only because I am certain that I am not the source of why it is unhealthy. I try to do everything in my power to keep the door open for people in my lives, no matter what their mistakes, I try to be always their for my brothers, and place no emphasis at all on getting from them, but on giving to them.
I have actually had to learn limits with how much I can give physically, for I have a very generous nature, but I can always give love and care in unending supply. Its one of my greatest gifts, and makes me such an apt pupil for these lessons.
Those who have temporarily more, I feel are obliged to give, when they see their brothers appear to suffer from the illusion of lack. The obligation is to release god's child every time you see tears in their eyes, or see the grief in thier minds. Do something to help because this will help you in the long run.
If there is anything you can do to help, I believe if you have knowledge, you are obliged to help.
Leaving anyone is abandoning them, and even if people are trying to pull you down, I believe there is something you can do in that situation to help, and not hurt. I believe also, if you are patient and stick with the relationship, when the time is right, you will know exactly what to do to make the relationship healthy and whole, just by being yourself, and doing what you do naturally. I agree that one should not cling to form, but I do not agree that any of God Children should be abandoned for any reason, despite seeming imperfections. I am very patient that the outcome will always be peace in the long run, if you keep your heart open with "Unhealthy relationships"
With Eternal Love and Light
F