Ask: I've never really had love...


“I've never really had love… I've been the one out here who was born illegitimate, mom was a state child and abused. So when I was born I really wasn't shown love but lots of rejection. My own grown adult kids have shut the door in my face, I long to have my family but they threw me away. I wasn't abusive towards them...I have sought God all my life and at this point of age 62, I realize there is still hope, but I've found people can be nice, but it's all just words, nothing more and love always dies. It will eventually kill you...” DK 

            You are clearly not aware of it, but you have always had Love (God). You have Love right now. What you do not have is an awareness of Love. And that is easy to correct!
A Course in Miracles points out from the start a very observable fact: You feel Love not when others seem to love you but when you choose to come from the Love within you. By extending Love in your awareness you learn that you are (have) Love.
            Love cannot go into you from others. Nor can it go out from you to others. If this were possible human relationships would be whole and satisfying. They would be Truth (God)! And you have learned that this is not so. Human relationships work when you are aware of the Love within you and you recognize them as an extension of the Love within you, not as the source of Love for you.
When you seek for Love (God) in the world you teach yourself that you lack Love. “Love” is the word we use for the experience of wholeness that is Truth (God). So when you feel lack, emptiness, lonely, etc., do not seek for Love from others but stop and rest in your awareness of Love within. Sit quietly and let the personal thought system’s (ego’s) thoughts come and go as you rest in the Quiet Love beyond them.
And when you are engaged with the world choose to come from Love so that you grow your awareness of the Love within you. The personal thought system always responds quickly and emotionally, with guilt, judgment, and fear. Allow it to do so, then step away from its responses and choose to come from Love instead. This will teach you that Love is within you and will never leave you.
If you have a feeling of sacrifice in your dealings with others then you are coming from lack (the personal thought system) and not from True Love. If you behave toward others in a way that you feel is “loving” but is designed to get love or something else from them, then you are coming from lack and not from True Love. When your mind is centered in Love you deal with others from an awareness of your Wholeness. So you do not seek Love from them. And you do not have any sense of loss or sacrifice. You extend Love because it is natural to do so. You also know that True Love is in their mind, even if they are unaware of this.
If you find that you cannot come from Love with others then you need to look for your obstacles to being aware of the Love within you. These will be feelings of guilt, fear, unworthiness, etc. Or you may be very attached to your personal story of lovelessness and rejection. You will need to work through these with the Holy Spirit. If you are not yet able to hear the Holy Spirit directly, then consider a therapist or some other form of counseling. You may need to hear the Holy Spirit through others first to help you reach a point where you feel worthy enough to hear the Holy Spirit within yourself.

>>>>>
Learn about the books The ACIM Mentor Articles, The Plain Language A Course in Miracles, and 4 Habits for Inner Peace at www.acimmentor.com.
If you have a question the answer to which you think will help others send it to Liz@acimmentor.com and indicate that you want it answered in the ACIM Mentor Newsletter/Blog.

Comments

Lita said…
What a well-timed reminder. Thank you :) ♥
12:15 PM
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