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One of my favourite books is ‘A Return to Love’ by Marianne Williamson. This is the book that contains the quote that is often attributed to Nelson Mandela:
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others”
Marianne is a student of ‘A Course In Miracles’ – which I have never managed to get into, but this is a real simplification of the key precepts from that work.
I love her book, and even if you don’t believe in God, it’s worth reading. What would the world be like if we actually dared to live like this. The chapter on relationships is amazing – and the one on work has been transformational as I consider who I am and why I am here. Here are some excerpts from that chapter….
Success means that we go to sleep at night knowing that our talents and abilities were used in a way that served others. We’re compensated by grateful looks in people’s eyes, whatever material abundance supports us in performing joyfully and at high energy, and the magnificent feeling that we did our bit today to save the world.
Put love first. You are in business to spread love. My real job is to love the world back to health.
When I do anything, how should I do it – “Kindly”
Avoid self initiated plans and instead surrender our plans to God
“Dear God, please give my life some sense of purpose. Use me as an instrument of your peace. Use my talents and abilities to spread love. I surrender my job to you. Help me to remember that my real job is to love the world. Amen”
“Where would you have me go? What would you have me do? What would you have me say, and to whom?”
Don’t ask God to send me a brilliant career, but rather ask him to show me the brilliance that is within me.
Once an internal stirring has occurred, external effects cannot fail to happen. We’re all capable of an internal stirring – we are coded for it. Achievement doesn’t come from what we do, but from who we are. Our worldly power results from our personal power. Miracles flow from the recognition that love is the purpose of our careers.
By touching my own depths, I touch the depths within others.
Instead of expanding my ability or willingness to go out and get anything, I expand my ability to receive what is already here for me.
Personal power emanates from someone who takes life seriously.
As I give my life to God, then things start coming together.
Even if I don’t yet consider myself successful, I can devote my work now to being used in the service of the healing of the world – and from that point of power, my career will take off.
When I fully live up to the opportunity to heal, then I achieve an energy that pushes me forward in worldly endeavours. Love makes me more attractive.
My power is a result of my decision to reveal it. I am powerful in whatever moment I choose to be.
It is guarding against our experience of who we really are, the brilliance of expressing it, and the joy that the expression brings to ourselves and others.
I don’t need to walk out on stage and make people feel I am special, because I am not. If the purpose of my career is to channel God’s love, then I’m only there to open my heart, open my brain and open my mouth. Don’t try to figure out my message, just ask God what he would have me say. Step back and let him lead the way.
If I wait for the world’s permission to shine, I will never receive it.
Do what I love – and never do it for the money. Do what makes my heart sing. Go to work to spread joy. Channel his love into the world.
We are poor because we do not work with love. God wants me to have whatever material support contributes to my greatest happiness.
Ask for a miracle. Miracles are everyone’s right but purification is necessary first. Purity of heart creates breakthroughs.
“Dear God, I surrender to you all my thoughts about money, I surrender to you my debts, I surrender to you my wealth. Open my mind to receive abundantly. Channel your abundance through me in a way that serves the world. Amen”
Our life is meant to be a story that mysteriously writes itself. Our purpose in this earth is to be happy.
“God, please use me” is the most powerful affirmation we can say for an abundant career.
When my energy is applied in the direction of co-creating with God, of a willingness to supply love where there was none before, new energy bursts forth from deep within.
Child of God, you were created to create the good, the beautiful and the holy. Do not forget this.
There’s only one work going on in God’s world, and that’s the preparation of his teachers, those who demonstrate love.
Don’t try and figure out your message, just ask God what He would have you say. Step back and let Him lead the way.
When we are motivated by the desire to serve, we are looking out for others. There is no more powerful motivation than to feel we’re being used in the creation of a world where love has healed all wounds. Be inspired by the vision of a healed world.
“I’ll do this because it serves, even if I’m not paid” is a very high beam. It says to the Universe that you must be very serious. And when you get serious about the Universe, the Universe gets serious about you.
Our willingness to give directs the universe to give to us.
Make peace your only goal. God is the only goal I have today.
Living out of my vision is more powerful than living out of my circumstances.
