Here is the wonderful quote from Bartholomew on fear I promised yesterday. Really let this sink in. Allow the “bigness” of it to make itself comfortable in between your cells and thoughts. Receive it as from your own heart.
“Fear is an energy that can be your teacher if you have the willingness to face it. Fear is power. It is an energy that is easily felt. It is a part of the life-cycle. When fear is with you can train yourself to say “My friend! You are here! I remember you well. You have come to tell me some part of me needs looking at, needs explaining. I am going to sit with you, my friend fear, until you disclose your secret to me.”—-From he Heart of a Brother, Bartholomew.
When I think of guilt, as an energy, instead of the truth about me, I am able to open up to the Love that is in me and remember “Greater is He that is within me, than he that is within the world.”—I John 4:4. The terrible thing about guilt is how true it’s lies feel. The penalty of guilt is not just the untruths it whispers in the form of “facts” it is the powerlessness it installs.
Here is another quote about fear that really opened the eyes of my heart to another way to see fear and in turn guilt:
“[When] you are in fear, remember anything that comes to you is your friend, whether nightmare or terror. If you can see it as energy approaching in order to solve a basic dilemma, you will be able to appreciate it and let the fear approach with love and caring. You begin to not be frightened when you experience fear, you no longer avoid it, you are more ready to understand the process that has been going on within you.”—–From the Heart of a Gentle Brother, Bartholomew
Fear says “Look at me!”
This was an incredibly helpful perspective for me in looking at guilt. To experience guilt (or any other flavor of fear) without being frightened at the same time allows me to go within and ask for clarity, truth and guidance. When I am in a state of fear of guilt (or ignoral, denial which serves to cover over the feeling of guilt and fear so I won’t even look at it with God’s Love that is within me) I am, in that moment powerless because my eyes are closed so tight to the guilt I cannot see the help and comfort that is always at hand if I but ask.
When I think of fear as a teacher rather than the truth about me I am placed squarely back in the middle of my own true power which is that I am beloved of God and empowered with a Holy Spirit who is always with me in all things. I have experienced the fear of nearly losing a child and my mind and faith along with it. What saved me was the tenaciousness of that same Holy Spirit that simply would not, indeed can not let go of me because we are entwined forevermore in Love. And if God IS Love then what saved me, saves me and will always save me is the God that is within my heart.
Wow! Great way to look at it.
I can hear Winston Churchill’s famous quote resounding in my ears: “We have nothing to fear except fear itself.”