Journal of Sacred Work

Our opening to last Friday's headline quote has provoked some interesting responses. The quote we continue to offer to you is this: "Whatever the question, Love is the answer."

   And the follow up question for this Thanksgiving week becomes: When we don't choose Love, what are some of the other ways we respond to life's questions? What happens when we encounter fear in our mirror and pick a fear-based response?
   Although I write and speak constantly about the subject of Love and the power of Love's energy, I notice that I frequently let fear dominate too many aspects of my life. The most typical example I see in the my soul's mirror is my tendency to try to control people and events in ways that reflect my own fears. I often try to control things that are clearly outside my control and don't always make the wisest choices around trying to change things I can control. I find myself trying to change the behavior of people around me through commands and complaints instead of by recognizing that the attitude I have the best chance of changing is my own.
   At a personal level, fear choices becomes a double frustration. For example, I may try to change the behavior of a fellow staff member with some kind of command or complaint. When I am met with resentment, I discover that I have: 1) upset my colleague instead of affirming them, 2) upset myself. I hate it when I take the shortcut of interfering with someone's life in ways that sound judgmental instead of loving.
   Every time I answer a life question in front of me with fear instead of Love, I depart from Love's energy. Fear is toxic, Love is healing.
   What are some of the questions you encounter in your daily life where you find yourself responding out of fear instead of Love? How can you find a way for Love to help you answer the same questions differently?

-Erie Chapman