NOBODY CAN 'MAKE YOU' GROW SPIRITUALLY
Date: 
Monday, July 15, 2019
Teacher(s): 

“Man consciously grows from the material toward the spiritual by the strength, power, and persistence of his own decisions…. [UB 1282:01]

Thought Adjuster: “Your physical body evolves rapidly toward its maturity following a pattern that does not require your ‘conscious’ input. However, you can help it flourish through your conscious decisions, such as feeding it health-promoting nutrients and providing it a clean environment. 

“The process of your spiritual growth is quite different. Nobody can ‘make you’ grow spiritually. It has to be motivated by the sincerity of your heart, which becomes evident when looking at the members of the same family. In spite of their physical family resemblance, they find themselves at differing places along their spiritual growth-curve. Some may still be at a standstill—in a spiritual slumber; others may already be spiritually conscious. The fact that they live in the same environment does not imply that they have similar experiences.

“What does it take to grow spiritually? First of all, it requires that one becomes aware that the physical reality is but a shadow of the spiritual one. By doing so, one becomes spiritually curious, coming to understand that nobody can act as a proxy for their spiritual life. It is a hands-on process. 

“You and only you have a say in the feeding of your soul. All the decisions you make as to the way you lead your life should be based on the criteria upon which God Himself bases His decisions: Truth-, Beauty-, and Goodness-promoting. By adhering to these decisional parameters, you reach ‘spiritually-informed’ decisions that cater to your soul-growth. 

“Look back at your life and pinpoint the decisions you made in time and space that contributed to your spiritual evolution or regression. You will become keenly aware that the ones that made you a better person where those that appealed to your strength of character, will power, and determination. 

Indeed, strength is developed amid adversity. By not giving up on your spiritual ideals, they act as powerful magnets, helping you stay the course when the going gets rough. The rewards are all yours: self-improvement; authenticity; and external manifestation of your inner beauty.”