| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 348.1 | God-Improvement | CSC32::LECOMPTE | I am a new critter! | Wed Nov 20 1991 07:47 | 8 |
|
I think 'Spirit-improvement' is a better way of putting it.
We CANNOT improve our 'spiritual life' by 'working on it'. We can
yield ourselves to the molding of the Holy Spirit, allowing him to
do the work.
_ed-
|
| 348.2 | | DEMING::VALENZA | Noteblind. | Wed Nov 20 1991 08:30 | 16 |
| But the choice to yield ones self to the Spirit is itself a conscious
act of the will.
Humans can resolve to do many things in their lives; actually living up
to a resolution in practice, in the face of continual challenges, is
another story. Merely deciding to listen to the Spirit is one act of
will; actually doing so in practice are additional choices that you, as
a free human being, must make. And if you find yourself not always
yielding to the Spirit in your life, then improving on that condition
requires more than just deciding that from now on you will yield to the
Spirit; it means "working on" your responsiveness to the Spirit.
In Quaker terms, this is expressed as living up to the measure of the
Light within. Put another way, destiny is not predestination.
-- Mike
|
| 348.3 | | PCCAD1::RICHARDJ | Bluegrass,Music of Perfekchun | Wed Nov 20 1991 08:53 | 21 |
| OH yeah, there are many areas needing improvement in my spiritual life.
I believe you can and must work at letting go and letting the Holy Spirit
guide you, but it takes cooperation on your part as well, to be saved.
Fr. Benidict Groschel SP? told a parable, that he made up to
illustrate the point.
A man is washed over board from a ship during a storm. The crew
on board throws him a rope, and he hears someone yell, "grab the
rope." Now, the man grabs the rope and is pulled on board to safety.
Did he save himself, or was he saved ? The fact is that he was saved,
but it took cooperation on his part to do so.
The same is true with regards to salvation and holiness. God saves us,
and gives us his graces to help us grow spiritually. But, it also
requires some cooperation on our part.
Peace
Jim
|
| 348.4 | doing vs being... | BSS::VANFLEET | Dreamer, your moment has come! | Wed Nov 20 1991 09:19 | 8 |
| I feel that I get too involved in "doing" life that I forget to just
"be" with the spirit within. I feel that I need to take more time to
meditate and actively listen to what God's plan is for my life.
Sometimes I get so caught up in "doing" that I forget that "being" is
what I was created for. After all, the phrase is, "You ARE a child of
God" not "You DO a child of God". :-)
Nanci
|
| 348.5 | tools I use... | ATSE::FLAHERTY | That's enough for me... | Wed Nov 20 1991 14:38 | 9 |
| Good topic Mike! I find working with A Course In Miracles as well as
attending spiritual/selp-help/healing workshops, helps me to follow
more closely a spiritual path of service.
Also participating in several spiritual/meditation/healing/support
groups I find invaluable.
Ro
|
| 348.6 | dedicate time | CSC32::J_CHRISTIE | Passionate Peace | Wed Nov 20 1991 18:11 | 9 |
| I think there are some things we can do to cultivate receptivity to,
and relationship with, the Divine. We need to make of our souls fertile
soil for the Seed and the Sower.
I know that I need to deliberately set time aside for prayer, meditation
and even service. If I don't, it usually just doesn't happen.
Peace,
Richard
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