As human beings, we are all prone to struggle with things; most of our struggles are of our own making. We are prisoners to a whole host of things but the source of our struggles is closer than many of us would like to admit. For many of us our prison cells contain bars of fear, doubt, worry, and lack. We constantly worry about what somebody might say, might do, what might happen. We let our fears about the unknown, the uncertain rule our lives. We doubt whether we are good enough for someone or something, if we have what it takes to do what we feel called to do, doubt that we know what it is that the Infinite wants us to do, doubt whether or not the Creator loves us just as we are, doubt that there would be room for us at the inn. We worry about all kinds of things, we worry about our bodies, how we look in our clothes, if people are going to like us, if we going to be able to pay our bills this month, how we are going to get someplace, car issues, job issues, health issues, and relationship issues. When we are not worried about stuff we have no control over, we might be beating ourselves with the whip of lack, feeding ourselves all the negative self talk that others have fed us throughout our lives about what we can’t do, what we don’t have enough of, what we’re not enough of, which leads us to having a lack of confidence and a lack of self-esteem.
The problem is that none of this is of the Infinite. None of this is what God is asking us to struggle with in our lives. This is all about us, our egos, our easing God out of our lives that keeps us enslaved in jail cells of fear, doubt, worry, and lack. It is hard to be transformed in this world, when we are committed to conforming to the dysfunctionality of this world.
For the last week, I have been meditating on a quote that said, “Grow deep roots to harvest rich fruit.” See we are like plants. We start like seeds that the Creator has planted here on earth. When we allow God to cultivate our hearts and minds and spirits with spiritual tools, then we grow from being a seed to becoming a growing and developing spiritual plant. As our spiritual roots grow deeper and deeper, we are able to be of greater service to the Divine in our time here on earth. We must also be open to receiving spiritual nutrients. If you look at some of the healthiest plants, they are the ones that receive the proper nutrients. You can always tell the difference between those plants that have just been left to fend for themselves and those that have been cultivated and nurtured. So which are you? Are you the one who is sitting in a pot that might not fit you any more, but afraid to get out of your pot because you have been in it for a while? Or are you the one that is worried about what would happen if you left your pot? Or are you the one who doubts there might be a pot that is the right size for you? Or are you the one who is more focused on all the things you lack making you feel as if you have no choice but to stay in your pot. The problem is that staying in a pot that does not fit, does not allow a plant to grow. It might even contribute to its death. Like a plant, without spiritual cultivation and nutrients we cannot develop our gifts, talents, and skills. If we stay in our prison cells, then we cannot develop our gifts, talents, and skills.
Some of us like living in our prison cells because then we can blame whatever we are feeling or experiencing on someone or something else. We play the if only game. If only such and such would happen, then everything would be ok. If only my boyfriend had talked to me before making this decision, then I would not be angry. If only somebody had told me I could not have a pet in this apartment, then I would not be frustrated. If only somebody had told me that my fly was open, then I would not be embarrassed. If only she had not broken up with me, then I would not be sad. If only ________, then _________. See it is easy to blame somebody else for our feelings and our emotions. It is easy to blame the world for what we do not like in our lives because then it is not our fault. We do not have to own any responsibility for our lives. We can just blame it on the world. Someone or something is at the root of all my feelings and emotions. So until X changes, then nothing in me can change. This keeps us in a prison cell of our own making and it is time to be set free. It is time to claim a get out of jail card and claim our freedom.
See we do have the power; we just have to reclaim it and stop giving it away. We have the power to create change and happiness. We have the power to make decisions out of love and not fear. We have the power to stop worrying about things we have no control over. We have the power to stop doubting ourselves. We have the power to stop telling ourselves we do not have what we need to do whatever. We do not lack anything when we have the Divine consciousness to claim that which is already ours. When we step outside of our prison cells, then we begin to grow deeper roots so that we can harvest the richest of fruits in our lives. When we step outside of our prison cells, we begin to depend on ourselves, not the outside world for our own true joy.