MIDWEEK MESSAGE – November 8, 2023

In the realm of letting go, it has not been that complicated (for me) to let go of physical things.  I need to move – I sell the house; no time to move everything –get rid of it; job not working – leave it; the list goes on and on.

However, I have had trouble letting go of the negative emotions that keep me from experiencing a greater connection with God and others. Those pesty negative emotions that keep biting at my heels keep me separate from a feeling of peace within and without.

Such a negative emotion is Pride.  There was a time (before I began to understand the complexity of pride) when I was sure I did not have an issue with it.  Pride can be insidious as it hides behind many other feelings and behaviors.

Some of those behaviors or personality traits are (according to  David Hawkins)- denial, playing the martyr, being opinionated, arrogant, holier than thou attitude, vain, self-centered, complacent, aloof, smug, snobbish, prejudiced, bigoted, pious, contemptuous, selfish, unforgiving, spoiled, rigid, patronizing, and judgmental. Can you relate to any of these? I certainly can!

So why is it so hard to let go of Pride?  Pride is the negative emotion we use to defend ourselves because we do not value who we are, so we are always defensive against what we perceive as a threat to us.

For example, when we feel right about our religious beliefs, we must tear down those who may think differently.  Think how much better we would feel if we were comfortable enough in our beliefs that with love, we could honor other’s right to feel how they feel.

Just because someone does not do, think, speak, act, or believe as we do does not make them wrong and us right.  If we are comfortable with ourselves enough to allow others to feel good about who they are, there would be no arguments, no fights, no wars; in other words, we would feel peace within and without.

Quote of the Week

“When we are willing to let go of the pseudo-security of pride, we experience the real security that comes with courage, self-acceptance, and joy.”

David R. Hawkins