SIMPLE LOGIC (The God Thing)
You must wait and listen for the sound of the genuine that is within you. When you hear it, that will be your voice and the Voice of God.
- Howard Thurman, American author, civil rights leader, and theologian (1899-1981)
One of the great things with what I spend a lot of time at is that I hear a lot from others. Whether it is in response to blogs like this, comments through my web site or in the several conversations that are a part of my day, different thoughts or approaches to tough issues come up.
A recovery site I love, for those facing addictions, is "In The Rooms". It is not for the faint of heart or the wavering, some real opinionated people on there. I have a post on there entitled "Struggling With God" that has been well read and commented on. Funny how quickly a topic like God automatically gets into religion and differences and the spiritual part moves to the background. No wonder so many struggle!
Many who I have contact with, and are working through a process to recover a life they want, are spiritually bankrupt. This condition is common with the addicted and those who have dug themselves into other "black holes". To me, getting a spiritual concept that is real to an individual is a big part of recovery. The Thurman quote above came at about the same time a "friend" and I were talking about spirituality and finding a higher power that HE was comfortable with. For many, finding something that you can believe in and hang on to is a life changer. Spirituality and religion is NOT the same thing, although for some they go hand in hand and it works for them.
In conversation today we talked about the 2 entities that are us. Jekyll and Hyde, good and evil, devil and angel- how ever you visualise it. After all, when you say "I'm mad at myself" who is "I" and who is “myself"?
So today's journey took "friend" (some people react to the word client) and I down the duality path. He has done a fair bit "right" lately in his life, and although still feeling empty/flat, he has stayed away from some nasty behaviour. When he partakes in this destructive behaviour, he knows the consequences but "something" overrides sane thinking. I asked him what he thought it was and I loved his response- "SIMPLE LOGIC"! What a great concept, and isn't that exactly what Thurman referred to as "the genuine that is within you"?
I certainly believe that it is in all of us- finding, listening and acting on "it" can be tough. It is however, simple logic; like a child not putting there hand on a hot stove intentionally more than once.
So the trick may just be learning to listen to the simple logic, that sound of genuine, that is within. Could this be the voice that we "label" God?
Many I run across are complicated people living complicated lives. Why in certain areas of life is it hard for them to listen to the "Simple Logic" that is within?
Tired of the numbness spiritual bankruptcy causes, and worn out trying to understand the God thing? Know there is more and just can't find it? Maybe my friends’ concept of simple logic (heavy on the simple) may help you. Wait and listen for the genuine that is within you!
I'm looking forward to reading your comments about these thoughts! (www.hopeserenity.ca)
Tags: ICF Certified Life And Addictions Coach
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