Spiritual Lessons :
Sermon delivered at the Armenian Cilicia Evangelical Church of Pasadena, CA on February 3rd, 2013.
It’s been a long day, maybe things didn’t go as you had planned. You’ve arrived home, thoughts parachuting from every space within your mind, trying to make sense of the day’s events. “Why did it happen to me? How did it happen?”- the questions continue. Yet, through the hours you consume trying to figure it out, you may never arrive at the “real answer”, the spiritual purpose for why you were part of the event.
It’s not a secret that everyone encounters disappointments, challenges or the unexpected. For some, these moments are more frequent than others, not knowing why or the source within that is attracting them. Some will claim the “victim” role, and others will step up and find the “why” turning it into an opportunity for spiritual growth. How is it possible that the same situation can happen to two people and both walk away with a different experience? It’s simple; it’s all in the perspective.
In the spiritual realm, we have come to know that everything happens for a reason. However, before we arrive at this understanding or acceptance, it’s probable that our former years were filled with holding other’s responsible for what we felt. “She made me so mad”, “I cant believe he did that”, “They were so rude, I don’t understand”, at some point we’ve all had these types of thoughts, where we fault others for something that has happened. This perspective places us in the “victim role”, where we allow our emotions to become engaged, get upset and then react; in which case, we may retaliate or just walk away.
As you can see, processing it from this perspective doesn’t facilitate any spiritual growth. You will, without a doubt attract a similar situation again, perhaps with a different individual, until you understand that “he/she/they” specifically were not the focal point of the situation, they were merely a “supporting actor”; a catalyst to bring to light something you needed to observe within yourself.
You are each the “leading actor” within your own life, consciously (sometimes unconsciously) directing your own play.
Every person or event you come in contact with is someone or something you’ve drawn into your earthbound adventure to activate the lessons you came to learn. Common feelings associated with such experiences are anger, worry, fear, jealousy, guilt, and frustration. You see, no one can “make” you feel this way-the way you react and process the event is your choice from the beginning. However, you can become so attached to the emotions you are feeling, due to your prior programming, that you fail to see these as opportunities that you have attracted to observe, learn and resolve what needs to be cleared.
These concepts are often hard to swallow at first, because it challenges you to take responsibility for something that needs to be acknowledged and resolved within you. Being able to face yourself and your shortcomings is a very humbling experience and by far the most enlightening for personal growth.
For example, let’s say a friend has said or done something and without intention of course, that action has stirred up a negative reaction within you. Your first impulse might be to think that perhaps he/she isn’t your friend at all anymore. If you left it like that, you may lose a wonderful relationship over a personal chance for self-improvement. Letting your emotions subside, you realize that what was said, actually triggered a deep-rooted feeling of personal insecurity; perhaps it hit a self-esteem issue stemming from a childhood where there was a lack of parental support. You then realize that instead of being angry with your friend, you can now find gratitude in the experience for allowing you to address a part of you that needs healing.
Life challenges us in many ways, daily and moment to moment. It’s all in how you see these opportunities that you witness the spiritual insight to be gained and processed. First, you must become consciously aware of how physical events trigger specific mental and emotional responses within you. Then allow yourself to disconnect emotionally from the situation to understand the “why”, the “what” and so on, of how you attracted this experience to fully understand why it manifested altogether.
After practicing this observation frequently, chances are you begin to notice a pattern of situations or experiences you to tend to draw. This feedback is invaluable to your spiritual growth and transformation. Remember that despite what we often consider the trials and tribulations of life, in actuality these are gifts from the Universe to improve, refine and allow us to live our life in better alignment with our spirit.
The classroom of life can deliver some unique ways of teaching through earthly endeavors. Looking back, it appears I unconsciously chose to sit in the front row. There have been times when I loved the one-on-one challenges the Universe presented….and there are other times I wanted to make a bee-line for the door and skip school altogether.