Dear Friends,
Every now and then, you will end up in a place that you don’t like. You won’t understand how the problem that you are facing could possibly be part of the divine flow for you, and you will try to figure out why you are experiencing that particular challenge. But, as I put it in my book . . .
“You don’t have to know why things happen the way they do. Because it doesn’t make any difference! Regardless of where you are, regardless of how you got there, and regardless of how bad you perceive your situation to be, it can always be a stepping-stone to your highest good . . . if you are willing to look at it that way.”Why something happens is not nearly as important as how you respond to it. And the best way to respond to any undesirable situation is to see the potential for good that lies within that situation. It is that kind of positive attitude that keeps you open and receptive to divine guidance—the kind of guidance you will need in order to move beyond your current circumstance.
Admittedly though—depending on the severity of the situation—quickly adopting that kind of positive outlook can be a challenge in itself. That’s why I recommend that you take the following four steps to help turn a problem into a possibility for good.
Step #1. Accept what is. That doesn’t mean that you have to like what’s going on. Acceptance is simply about allowing a current circumstance to be the way it is, and to stop resisting it. If you examine your resistance closely, you will see that it is not about moving beyond your present situation. It is just a futile effort to fight against the very existence of that situation. Friends, what is . . . is! All the resistance in the world is not going to alter that. Refusing to accept something the way it is will only subject you to needless suffering. And as long as you are trying to rewrite history in your head—vainly trying to arrive at a different outcome with thoughts like “This can’t be,” or “This shouldn’t be”—you will have little hope of moving to a place that you do like. As long as you are focused on how something should be, you will restrict the divine evolution of what can be. That is why it is said, “What you resist, persists.”
Step #2. Stop blaming others or shaming yourself for what has occurred. You cannot judge or hold a grudge, and, at the same time, be open and receptive to divine guidance. When you are in a judgmental state of mind, you are in ego. And the ego is the part of your mind that is not open to divine ideas and divine inspiration. To move forward you must stop looking backwards, trying to determine exactly who caused what. Keep in mind that every single person—including you—is doing the best he or she can according to his or her limited knowledge, imperfect understanding, and behavioral conditioning. To see the good that lies within a situation, you must also see the good that lies within each and every person involved in that situation. You must let go of your judgments and release your resentments by looking beyond people’s behavior to see the innocence that exists within them—the innocence of their true self . . . the innocence of their divine inner spirit.
Step #3. Adopt an expectation of good. Again, that doesn’t mean that you have to like your present circumstance. You don’t have to try to trick yourself into believing that your current situation is—in its present state—“good.” But you do have to be open-minded about what you are experiencing, and realize that—with the help of the divine flow—your situation can potentially be good . . . that it can be a stepping-stone to your highest good, a blessing about to bloom, and a miracle in the making. Remember that the divine flow can guide you to your good from wherever you are. You might think that you are “up the creek without a paddle,” but the infinite intelligence of the Universe can see an almost unlimited number of ways for you to get to your highest good from your current position in life. In fact, the very situation you are in may give rise to a divine opportunity that couldn’t have existed in any other environment . . . even if that opportunity is just a chance for you to learn a valuable lesson—a lesson that may serve you well in the future.
Step #4. Seek your next right step. Once you have accepted what is, stopped blaming others or shaming yourself for what has occurred, and have adopted an expectation of good, you are now in a position to be truly open to divine guidance. Generally, there will be some kind of step that you will be divinely directed to take. You might intuitively sense within yourself exactly what that step is. Someone else might be divinely inspired to suggest that step to you. Or, you might realize what that step is via a divine sign or a synchronistic encounter. Remember, though, to seek only your next right step—that one single step—because the divine flow only presents to you one step at a time. A daily practice of meditation is a great way to maintain a heightened sense of awareness, so you will more readily recognize that step when it presents itself.
And there you have it, friends: Four steps to help you turn a troublesome problem into a positive possibility for good. Four steps to help you become genuinely receptive to divine direction. Four steps to help you transform an unwanted situation into a stepping-stone to your highest good . . . which, as it happens, is always the highest good for all.
Steven
Share
© 2011 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com
Steven Lane Taylor, LLC
No comments:
Post a Comment