I have lived a pretty abundant life and did not recognize it until I began a journey last year. Maybe I should say, I recognized it at times, though never really appreciated it. On this journey, I realized that life has not given me every materialistic thing I ever wanted and that is okay. Because I now know it has given me everything I have ever needed and more; A loving, compassionate, generous family, a curious mind, loyal friends, humor, a place to live that fills my soul, and great teachers – not necessarily and not only the ones in schools. I could go on and on, but I will stop here and let you know that I am learning to accept these things with much more gratitude and grace than ever before.
This journey has had me question the meaning of almost every word I have ever learned; words to include abundance, money, title, success, power, influence, and happiness. In redefining, I am learning that I have done some things in completely the right way; given from a generous heart, loved completely and wholly, laughed with every part of my being, and shared my existence with others, if only for a few minutes and then never again. On the flip side, I am also learning that there is something I have done completely wrong. I have spent my life, until now, chasing the money that I thought I needed to achieve the goals I wanted. Constantly living in fear that I would never have enough. Now, I am setting goals, dreaming dreams, and walking towards them both. Shocking as this may sound, I am finding the abundance I need to take steps towards them. This tells me I am on the right path. For if abundance did not flow in, I would have no choice but to change course. With a joyous heart I write, and realize that Heaven is the place, and what I feel, where and when dreams come true.
I have talked a lot about fear, and mentioned it again above. I never really thought about how life consuming it is and/or was. For fear keeps us in the dark. It has us hold onto things we do not want to lose and keeps us from really enjoying these things. It keeps us in a place of hate, from really getting to know one another. It keeps us from really experiencing life, and from letting go when we know we should. It keeps us feeling like we are not good enough, pretty enough, strong enough, and well I guess just enough. Beyond all these, and really most important, it keeps us from the thing that brings in light, goodness, love, and peace; that is faith.
You see this whole journey began with my fear of losing someone. The grip of fear, how I would live and what I would do without them was so engulfing and paralyzing, it stopped me from truly living with them. It took me months to loosen that grip and see it for what it truly is. The latter is really important, because fear is not something that likes to go easily or quietly. We must see it for what it is and kick it back as soon as possible. We must push through it to faith. Faith is teaching me “to love my neighbor as myself”, as well as, so much more. In regards to abundance it taught me this “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Mammon”. Luke 16:13 – Merriam-Webster’s defines Mammon as “material wealth or possessions especially as having a debasing “reduce in quality or value; degrade” influence”.
My interpretation of this; you can either hate God and love money, or you can be loyal to God and despise money. So what happens when you hate God and love money? Oh you just may rise to the top. However, you rise to the top in darkness. Your rise is usually plagued with greed, dishonor, jealousy, envy, and yes even fear. I can only imagine, and do not want to, that the downfall from there is never pleasant. On the contrary, what happens when you are loyal to God and despise money? You learn to follow your path. And along this path you bring in honesty, integrity, and love. The reward for following your path, in loyalty to him, is abundance in more ways than you could possibly imagine, including money. So I ask you to look around you. I say you are everything and that you have more than you really think you have. I hope you see the same. If not, find faith in yourself and God, and get rid of the fear and abundance will appear.
Well said my friend. However, my thinking is just slightly different. While I endeavor to stay loyal to God I don’t dispise money.
I prefer to let money be a thing off to the side. A necessary evil if you will. After all I trade my time for it everyday. And it does afford the ability to purchase what food items I don’t produce myself and pay the very few bills I have that come every month. The rest can stay in the bank.
But now it occurs to me, I’m writing this of the cuff, that money is what I make the most of. I’m not making any time.
My mother will turn 75 next month and I am making no time to spend with her. I have 3 beautiful grandchildren an hour away and I’m making no time to be more apart of their lives.
Great piece my friend.
Peace be with you.
What an incredible post! I need to follow this advise more. Even though I follow a wonderful and spiritual path fear as you say is a creeper and affects all things. Humanity, including myself, gives it far to much power. Being graciously, humble and showing gratitude for what we have presently and understanding the abundance in it is truly the correct path to be walking down.