These days arguing and fighting are their own sports. Whether face to face or tweeting back and forth, some people enjoy cutting one another down to determine who’s right and who’s wrong. More valuable than the Master’s Cup or a World Series ring, the victory of having the “correct” position is the trophy they wish to own.
Yet, how fleeting those victories are. Because in fighting only for our way, we forget that we’re all divine human beings, with our own hopes, dreams and desires. Though we justify our determination and say the fight is for a great cause, those victories are hollow, too, because we close our minds and lock our hearts, labelling a circumstance, organization, or person as being against us.
Then, we don’t hear the true needs or feelings someone else has. We can’t seek or even create common ground — together — because we’re already charging through barriers which haven’t yet been erected. We argue about strategies without examining what underlies all the concerns, fears, or worries. We narrow all possibilities for achieving solutions that are win-win. Especially, we limit any divine opportunity to achieve and/or receive more than we imagined.
Instead of fighting, perhaps we could strive for understanding, mutuality, connection, and compassion as most spiritual masters do. It helps to remember that these masters were activists, though rarely were they reactive. Perhaps we’d also consider that being peaceful doesn’t mean being passive. In truth, it requires much more strength, patience, courage and assurance.
Fighting rarely creates the true change we seek. The old adage still holds: “The one convinced against their will is of the same opinion still.” And though they acquiesce for a while, they may find another way to do what they did before, sometimes with greater outrage.
When we’re angry, ready to charge, with pulse racing, head throbbing, heart pounding, our intuition and consciousness actually are reminding us that we love or value something so much that we want to preserve, protect, and support it.
So, to achieve our own spiritual mastery, we can relinquish the fight and contemplate:
- What we love most, such as our families, friends, and sacred possessions.
- What we truly value, such as safety and security in our schools, streets, malls, homes, and houses of worship; clean drinking water; and accessible polling places.
- What we truly desire, such as equality, inclusion, and opportunity for all people.
Maybe we can win a battle by waging another war. Yet how much more effective would we be if we directed our energy and attention to what we truly wish to achieve? Though the prize we win may not be renowned, the peace of mind and love we realize along the way will be its own rich reward.
© 2019 – Rev. Jennifer L. Sacks. All rights reserved.
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