January-March, 2016
Recently I had one of the most empowering insights I’ve had in quite a long time. I brought my pastor, Rev. John Vise, a copy of something I’d written for his feedback. He carefully read the words I’d written and quietly looked up at me and said, “Stop taking ownership of the ego.” He then used a highlighter and marked all the times I’d used the word “my” in reference to the ego. I had never noticed myself doing this, and had never thought about the implications of taking ownership of the ego.
When we take ownership of something, we believe we are responsible for it. It’s ours and we have to take care of it. The care and feeding of an ego is impossible. It has a voracious appetite for drama and is never, ever full. It always wants to see more sin, feel more guilt and feel more fear. In this way it proves that it is right and God is wrong.
“Sin ‘proves’ God’s Son is evil; timelessness must have an end; eternal life must die. And God Himself has lost the Son He loves, with but corruption to complete Himself, His Will forever overcome by death, love slain by hate, and peace to be no more.” (W-pII.4.3:3-4)
The ego is nothing more than a thought process. Using the ego thought process is what gives us our perceptions. Usually our perceptions come in the form of seeing things as black and white, right and wrong or one or the other. The problem is, we believe our perceptions are true.
The ego is just a thought process. It is not something I have or someone I can blame. It’s a way of thinking that leads to perception. The ego does not belong to me, and I am not responsible for anything about the ego. I’m simply responsible for knowing it exists and for not using it.
I am not a thought process. I am a child of God who has a choice. I can decide to use the ego to guide my life or use the Holy Spirit. Staying in touch with the peace I feel inside helps me remember whom I’ve chosen.
Anytime I’m not at peace, I’ve made the mistake of thinking with the ego.
“Your part is very simple. You need only recognize that everything you learned you do not want. Ask to be taught, and do not use your experiences to confirm what you have learned. When your peace is threatened or disturbed in any way, say to yourself:
“I do not know what anything, including this, means. And so I do not know how to respond to it. And I will not use my own past learning as the light to guide me now.
“By this refusal to attempt to teach yourself what you do not know, the Guide Whom God has given you will speak to you. He will take His rightful place in your awareness the instant you abandon it, and offer it to Him.” (T-14.XI.6:3-11)
It really does sound simple and in applying this truth to my life, I’ve come to see it is that simple. It’s up to me to decide which thought process I want to use. It’s up to me to decide if I want more peace or more drama in my life.
Today I’m choosing peace.
Rev. Maura Williams, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
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