Escape From All Striving

HS (Holy Spirit):  Your lives are haunted by endless striving in this world.

ME:  Tell me about it.  It’s so hard to be “us” sometimes.  There always seems to be so much we have to do and no time or money to do it.

HS:  There is a way to end your suffering; a way to cease to strive and begin to live a life filled with peace instead of pain.

ME:  As always, I am happy to listen to what You have to say.

HS:  First you must understand that guilt and anger are the tools the ego uses to “get” what it wants.  Forgiveness and love are the tools the Holy Spirit uses to undo what the ego has done.

ME:  Okay. Got it.  I think.

HS:  And so, your happiness and release from all forms of striving in this world depends on whether or not you are aligning your thoughts with the ego or the Holy Spirit.

ME:  Okay that makes a little more sense.

HS:  Therefore, it is your very thoughts that determine your experience.  You make think that what causes you fear in this world is what you stand to gain or loose; the things you strive for; but it is actually the fear in your thoughts surrounding those things that needs to be addressed. And so it is that through your own thoughts that you crucify yourself day in and day out.

ME:  Yes, my thoughts sometimes cause me pain and discomfort.  I would like to learn how to stop “crucifying” myself when this happens.

HS:  Then all you have to do is notice when you are suffering, and decide to call on Me to save you from the illusion of fear you have made.  You can cease to be bound to all the senseless illusions: the people you think you need, the possessions you think you must have, and the situations you think must take place in order for you to be happy.  

These things cause you nothing but fear and depression – are they worth such effort?  And then only to find that in their gaining you have nothing that will last beyond your time here?

ME:  Hmmm yes I’ve noticed that about achievements.  The happiness only lasts a fraction of the time it took to attain.  

HS:  And because the happiness you feel is fleeting, you must constantly form new goals. And as each goal is gained or lost another goal replaces it – causing an endless cycle of a life filled with striving.

ME:  You’re right. We never seem satisfied, do we?

HS:  Such are the fickle illusions of this world – always unstable and careless with your heart.

ME:  It would seem so…

HS:  You strive for what is outside of you, yet there is something within you that has always been yours and can never be lost – but you have forgotten you have it.  It is changeless and eternal; a holy gift from Me to you.  This holiness is yours if you would but acknowledge it is part of you.

ME:  Okay, how do I acknowledge it?

HS:  How can you know your worth if all the while you are looking for it in the wrong place? It is not found in anything you strive for outside of you.  Strive instead to know the eternal within you and accept it as your truth – you are not the body that has needs you must strive for – you are the holiness within it that will shine once you decide it is Who You Are.  It is there; in your true Identity that you will find the safety and abundance that you so desperately seek.

ME:  How will I know if I am deciding for my Identity in Your holiness?  How do I know if I’m doing this correctly?

HS:  There is a simple test to know if what you seek will bring you happiness or pain; whether it will bring you closer to Me or the ego:

Simply ask yourself this:

What do I want this for?

Is what you strive for, for the body or your spirit?  If it is for the body, it will cause you fear because you know you can fail to gain it or it can be lost.  There is no fear in doing what is My Will, for what I ask you to do, you cannot fail in doing, nor can it be lost once gained.

ME:  So I need to ask myself the purpose of whatever it is I want… whether it is material or eternal?

HS:  Yes. And as you adjust your decision making to want only what is eternal within you, you will undo the choice you made to be a body.  You will begin to seek within instead of without.  The body is an outward picture of an inner wish to be something “other” than your Eternal Self.  And with that decision came your amnesia about your true Identity.

ME:  But our bodies are so real.  I don’t see how we can help but strive for things to meet its needs, when in contrast our eternal Self doesn’t seem to need anything at all.  It’s difficult to not pay attention to the body when it’s always hungry, in pain or something like that.

HS:  You appear to be solid, a body that moves and breathes and has many needs – and by all means, meet those apparent needs - but I assure you it is not you – it is an illusion you are believing is you because no one has ever told you any different.

“Look at yourself and you will see a body.  Look at this body in a different light and it looks different. And without a light it seems that it is gone.  Yet you are still assured that it is there because you can still feel it with your hands and hear it move.  Here is an image that you want to be yourself.  It is the means to make your wish come true.”  (A Course In Miracles Ch.24.VII.9.1-6)

And so it is, your body seems to be your real identity for there seems to be no evidence against it.  And you cling to this false identity with your dying breath, because you know all bodies are destined to one day die and with its death you fear to loose your identity. And so you desperately strive for things to make your stay within it more pleasant or to preserve it longer – all to no avail for there is no hope in sight of escaping its final end.

ME:  That sounds depressing.

HS:  Such is the travesty of the human condition.  And you hate God because you think He placed you in such an unworthy vessel with such a fleeting withering end – living short painful lives of suffering. No matter how you write your story, it will end in death of the body for each of you.  

ME:  Yes, it seems even Your story ended in death of the body.

HS:  And yet, this is not the truth.  My story ends in Eternal Life.  I want no other Identity for you other than the eternally loving one I gave you upon your creation.

ME:  I want this too!

HS:  And yet, it seems that upon learning this that you have two identities now: a body to behold outside of you and an inner Light as My Beloved Son within you.  

These two identities are vastly different:  one represents the ego’s wish to be separated from Me and all of Life, and the other is My gift to you – Sonship in Me Who fulfills Our Will that We are One.

ME:  So do I need to make a decision between which of these two identities I want to believe in?

HS:  Yes. And so it is that I ask you to cease your endless striving on the body’s behalf and choose to know your Self as My Light within.  You may still feed and care for your body, but do not make it your goal in striving. For what you strive for is what you believe you are.  And when your striving turns inward, you will experience a new Identity – one we share in together.

And with this new Identity, you will crucify yourself no more with painful thoughts associated with what you strive for in the body. You will be grateful to yourself for taking out the nails of hatred and bitterness your striving causes.   For you do not stand condemned by Me to suffer in a body; forgive yourself for seeing it as a barrier between us; obstructing your view of our union.  

You are not a body, you are free, and this is the message My Voice within you proclaims until your ears open to hear it.  

And upon hearing it, you will be overcome with happiness.  You will see that none of what you think is real now, is so.  It is not your truth.  And with this realization you will experience My peace, and there is no peace except the peace I give.

ME:  That brings me comfort to hear… but just to be clear – in the meantime before this happens, we should not stop trying to eat healthy and exercise or just stop taking care of ourselves? 

HS:  As your faith and belief in My Presence within you grows, you will increasingly feel guided to the proper care of the body; your cravings and addictions will end and your striving to appease the ego’s desires will disappear.  You will look upon yourself and others with only love, appreciation, and kindness - knowing the truth of My Love that lies within you both.

~ Beth Geer: Author of the highly acclaimed, newly released book of extraordinary conversations with the Holy Spirit: 

“Awakening To One Love: Uncover the inner peace and joy hidden within you”

And the beautiful, deeply inspiring collection of healing messages from the Holy Spirit:

“Awakening Cards: 52 Divine Messages”  

BOTH AVAILABLE NOW IN THE MENU ABOVE! 

(Conversation with the Holy Spirit inspired by: A COURSE IN MIRACLES Workbook Lessons: (196, 197, 198, 199, 200)