Go with the Flow of Your Unfolding Path
"As for the future, your task is not to foresee it, but to enable it." –Antoine de Saint Exupéry
For me, enabling my future means balancing my desires and goals with having faith that what is meant for me will come to me. It also means having patience that everything unfolds in Divine time rather than in my time… and understanding that it’s best that way even when it doesn’t seem so. On the one hand I like to look forward and ahead. I want to reach for something beyond myself and set goals to attain what I desire. On the other hand, there is the knowing that I must surrender to the unfolding of my life. For I am certain that I’m not going about this alone!
I’m not saying that it’s wrong to dream of things beyond what you have or where you are in the present moment. Actually, we all have dreams and desires, and many of them are placed inside of us by the Divine. They are the “inspired thoughts” that drive you to improve yourself and to awaken so you can fulfill the sacred covenant you have made to do God’s will here on Planet Earth. After all, those divinely-given gifts are yours for a good reason! As a friend recently told me, “God didn’t put us here merely to take up space.”
Okay, yes, I do acknowledge that some of those desires might be ego-based. I have no doubt that you know the difference – that you know which ones they are. But, at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter the source because all desires spur you into the various adventures of the journey, and if you trust in God, who always has your back, you’ll be given ongoing opportunities during their pursuit to learn and grow regardless.
Inspired thoughts will manifest into reality if they are allowed to – if you get out of your own way by releasing the need to control every move of the unfolding path. When you “go with the flow”, then you have grasped the co-creation process. Yes, I said co-creation because you don’t create your own reality alone – no one can create a dang thing without Spirit getting involved! First you ask and then you receive, but then there’s that middle portion – the giving – that has to occur, and, frankly, you aren’t the one doing that part. But I digress…
The Divine provides the mysterious path of interconnectedness that you have agreed to walk in faith and surrender. And as soon as you are aware and awake to the wonder, you will notice where goodness blossoms not only for yourself, but also for others whose lives yours touches. However, when you become so attached to the outcome of a specific desire that you get wrapped up in the disappointment when it doesn’t come to pass as you anticipated, you must ask yourself if this desire is being ego-derived and/or ego-controlled. In the disappointment, whether the desire was divinely-inspired or not, your ego being in charge causes you to miss the grand opportunities for learning and awareness the Divine provides either way. And don’t forget that you then block the receiving of blessings.
This is what I mean by the practice of balancing desires with faith. The secret, as I mentioned before, is to simply get out of your own way. If this sounds familiar, it should. It’s timeless wisdom. I'm sure you've heard these phrases: “Let go and let God” and “…Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven”.
Here are some other Judeo-Christian thoughts on the subject:
-Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
-The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. (Psalm 18:2)
-May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)
-And according to Saint John, Jesus had it pegged when he said: “…I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life… Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light…” (John 8:12 & 12:36)
So, as you can tell, it comes down to faith in your purpose, and it comes down to trusting the guidance that shows up as that inspired voice inside you. I love St. Benedict’s motto, “Open the ear of my heart.” In that phrase is the perfect summation of what I mean by opening to and trusting divine guidance. This is so important because when you’re open to guidance, you’ll receive the divinely-inspired desires that become your goals and you’ll gain a vision to get passionate about, all of which becomes your path.
But back to that main ingredient of faith and surrender… Faith is so crucial to surrender, isn’t it? Faith and surrender are the elements that allow the unfolding path of your life. Practicing faith and surrender allows you to walk the journey with Joy and Love – with God.
This ancient wisdom crosses all lines of religious traditions and moral philosophies across the world: “On a long journey of human life, faith is the best of companions; it is the best refreshment on the journey; and it is the greatest property.”–Gautama Buddha
See what I mean? Truth is truth, my friend. So, go on and walk with God, set those dreams into motion and have a wondrous and joyful adventure while you’re at it!
