March 18: Day 77

STEP ELEVEN CONTINUED
 
Seek through prayer, meditation, and contemplation to improve our relationship with the Divine, praying for clarity of mind, an open heart, and further ways to heal ourselves and our world from the abuses of religion.

Instruction: Improve your relationships.

Through prayer, meditation, and contemplation, we can improve our relationships — not just with other people, but also with the Divine. These three practices give us clarity, an open mind and heart, and provide a means to help us heal from the abuses of religion and from other abuses, too. Healing ourselves creates the potential for healing others. When we are healed, it sets an example of how things can change and how we can improve. Most often, the first people affected by our healing are those with whom we are the closest. Healing doesn’t always extend to our family and friends until time has passed, and during the interim, our healing can be put to the test by those we love. At first, we might fail those tests.

Most people don’t like change, and when we heal ourselves and begin to come into our own spiritual power, it can intimidate and frighten those around us. Still, without our healing, things can go on indefinitely with our family and friends experiencing more and more abuse in their lives. When we change, we set the scene for others to follow where we lead. Our paths will not be the exact paths that others will take, but our healing can light the way for others to follow their own spiritual path by connecting to their Higher Power. Our strength can become their strength, and our resolve to be healed can inspire their resolve to be healed.

As our inner light shines brighter and brighter, we can become an example of how the concepts of prayer, meditation, contemplation, emotional intelligence, and enlightened intuition can guide them out of their prison of guilt, shame, blame, and darkness. The power lies in our determination to keep trying. As we heal, our situations might not show improvement overnight. It often takes time for us to change before we hope to see the change in others. After all, the only person we can change is ourselves. As we provide more and more light, we will help others in ways we would never have imagined. The beauty of it all is we only have to be ourselves and come into our light. As we improve our relationship with The Divine, we will improve our relationships with those around us and also with those we have yet to meet.

Today’s Assignment is to take time to make prayer, meditation, and contemplation a part of your regular routine. Try to stay consistent without being legalistic. Find a balance in working with your inner world and your outer world. Change will occur if we allow ourselves to develop and maintain these practices.