The other morning our love and inspiration group had a powerful conversation about how prayers are answered. In the midst of sharing stories, I was reminded of how the universe directs energy where our attention and intention goes. The universe has a way of helping us tap into the power and gifts we already have in an interesting way. Let me explain.
About ten years ago, shortly after I had started seminary, I was praying God would help me become a more forgiving person. I had always thought I was forgiving, but about that time I had come to realize there were a few people, one in particular, I was not quite able to forgive. I had said I wanted to forgive them, but never seemed to get to the space I could forgive this individual. A few days later, a fellow student at the seminary asked if he could borrow my car. To make a long story short, he wound up “renting” my car for drug money. In the process of fervently praying my way through the situation, my prayers for him and myself were answered. My car was returned in better shape then when he had “borrowed” it and he went into rehab with no police record of what had happened. In the process, I learned how to forgive. When the situation was resolved, I felt nothing but compassion for him AND I realized I had also released the negative energy towards the others.
This experience helped me to learn an invaluable lesson. I need to be mindful of what I ask for, as it will not always come to me in the manner I am expecting. It is if the universe is testing one to see if you really want to become that quality. Are you seeking to become more compassionate? If so, then the universe will present you with numerous opportunities for you to be compassionate. With each experience, you will have to choose how you wish to respond.
Transforming one’s self through the renewing of one’s mind is not an easy process. Sometimes it is so much easier to just conform to the ways of the world and think as you always have. However, when you begin to change your agreements, you will internal and external experiences, which will test the strength of this new agreement. With each chance that you make a decision by the new agreement, your mastery of this quality is strengthened and enhanced.
The other thing you may notice is an increase in peace and a decrease in suffering. The suffering may disappear because you are living in a greater place of authenticity with less internal conflict between how you wanted to be and were. As the conflicts disappear, the peace will surface.
This process of transformation is ongoing. One is always discovering aspects of one’s self, which we choose to transform, and so the process continues. With each prayer for transformation, the opportunities to do so come, but not always in the manner you were expecting. So what are you seeking to transform next?