Easing Up
From Spirituality for Busy People
By Mark Thurston
Do not try too hard, for when we try hard we become too conscious of self – and it is selflessness [that] we are to attain . . . Be joyous in thy love of others, as of thy Maker.
Reading 3051-2
It’s a curious paradox. Anything worth having in life requires desire and effort; a good job, solid relationships, steady health. They all demand work.
But unfortunately, the very qualities that start us toward our goals can turn against us if they’re overdone. When effort becomes strain, we’re in trouble. When desire becomes compulsion, we’re going to get frustrated.
What happens when you try too hard? Whether you intend it or not, it’s a power play. Pressing for what you want makes an indirect statement: “I am the sole source of power and influence in my life. I am the cause – my goal is the effect.”
On the one hand, that sort of attitude seems admirable. It sounds like a willingness to take personal responsibility. Who can argue with that? But beneath the surface, such an attitude is flawed because of what it leaves out. Seeing yourself as the exclusive force that shapes your life is what Cayce called becoming “too conscious of self.”
Trusting in a higher power is the missing ingredient whenever you make a power play. Having faith in God – that’s what’s forgotten when desire turns into compulsion, when effort shifts gears and becomes strain. Or, put another way, when you’re trying too hard, you’re not really loving the Creator. When you act as if it’s totally up to you and you alone, then the creative flow is interrupted. No wonder things stop working. It should be no surprise that straining and stretching is bound to block success.
So, what’s the answer? This simple secret: Be Joyous in the love of your Maker. Celebrate the fact that you’ve got an extraordinary Ally. For every effort toward your goal that reflects love and creativity, you’re actually a cocreator. There’s no need to strain, so you can ease up. If a project or goal is really right – for you and everyone else – it’s going to be successful. Just do your part, nothing more.
What a relief! What a joy when you simplify your life and resist the temptation to force matters. You can trust the Creator to be a Partner in all your dreams.
Mini-motivator: Pick a situation in your life that’s not going as well as you’d like – one in which you catch yourself straining to make things work the way you’d like. Try easing up. Be willing to do your part to make things work out, but leave room for a higher force to play its role. |
