Post by tomdurst on Feb 3, 2021 9:12:43 GMT -5
THE CENTRALITY OF GRACE
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”—Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)
Everything in the spiritual journey is founded in grace, NOT how well we are doing or how much information we jam into our heads. I think the message of grace has been sadly neglected or missing altogether in many spiritual paths. Thus people are often left with a very introspective kind of life and have questions such as "Am I praying or meditating just exactly right and for as long as I should be, using the right words, studying enough, and getting all of the information precisely correct?" I have seen these very questions come up repeatedly by deeply sincere people. My reply is REST IN GOD AND HIS WONDERFUL GRACE. Living in a state of anxiety as to whether you "are doing it right" will kill all of your joy and could destroy you. I’ve seen quite a few sincere spiritual seekers come to a very sad end later in their lives because of their anxiety over “getting it all right.” We need to always remember that the way each one of us relates to the Divine is totally unique and not exactly like that of anyone else. There is no such thing as “one size fits all” in the spiritual walk. I have shared many times over my years of teaching and writing from my own perspective and experience with the proviso that what has worked well for me may not work in the same way for others. As you seek guidance you will be led to just the right teachers, books, or whatever other resources will help you to walk in joy, to have more purpose and meaning to your life, and to bless many others.
For additional thoughts read LIVING BY GRACE which is on the link below:
LIVING BY GRACE