Ask the Author: Question and Response
 

I have read your book "You Have Chosen To Remember" and did find it inspirational. I sometimes return to it when I feel lost. I know what you say is right, but sometimes I wonder if perhaps I am just not doing something right as I used to know that God was listening but recently this feeling has gone. Do you think that God ever turns his back? Do you think that a person can ask too many times for help with the mundane?

- Jo, North Yorkshire, England

In the story of the prodigal son, a son of a loving father left home, experienced all the world had to offer and lost everything. He was ashamed to return to his father because he thought he had hurt him. Yet when he came home, the father welcomed him with joy because the son himself was his father's treasure.

God does not turn his back on any of His creations. When we focus on something other than extending our true essence, then that’s where the feeling of disconnection comes from. Our sense of disconnection comes about when we focus on negativity, judgment, self-deprecation, worry and/or self-doubt. When we do so, we are focusing our attention away from God, on inventions of the ego, on illusions that we have taught ourselves are more real than truth. And so you see, that feeling, that questioning, that wondering if God ever turns His back on you, does not come from Him turning His back, it comes from your decision to focus on something other than extending and expressing your true essence.

When we forget that we are here to express our true essence, there is something within us that tugs at our conscience, and tugs at our heart and soul. This inner tugging does not come from someone who does not care about us. It occurs because someone who deeply loves us is gently reminding us that He has not left us. He is reminding us that we have come to express our true essence, to be an example to others that the light exists within us all. When we are focusing our efforts on being compassionate in whatever form fits us best, when we are focusing on being loving in whatever way we are most comfortable with, when we are focusing on being charitable and kind in whatever ways are possible for us, then we are extending our true essence, and reminding the world of the truth within us all. When we do this, our continuous and uninterrupted connection to God and to all our brothers and sisters is undeniable.

Yes, there are times when our focus goes away from God; there are times when the ego tells us that judgment is a proper response, when forgiveness seems too difficult to offer, when our well of compassion seems to have dried up. Yet it is by experiencing these times that we get to remind ourselves of the futility of such behaviors, actions and reactions. They show us what we do not want. And by learning what we do not want, we come closer to realizing what we truly do want. Herein lies their gift - they bring us back to refocusing on those things that bring us joy, that free us from judgment, that bring love and support back into our lives. Once we realize this gift, our response to them is gratitude and trust instead of stress and worry. Now we can thank them for being part of our journey instead of judging them and ourselves. All this - coming from those moments where you once thought God had turned His back on you. Reflect this truth, and through your example light the way for those lost in the darkness, judgment and solitude of their own illusions.

Any time you experience feelings of separation, loneliness or any kind of negative emotion know that you are not listening to God, you are listening to the ego. When you listen to the ego, you are unwittingly choosing separation from the Source over union with the Source. The ego has taught you that it is possible "not to be doing something right." Again, God uses this and all other illusions to remind you that the ego's demands are not real and have no true value.

We are the creators of the illusions we cherish. We sustain the illusion of separateness by protecting it and defending it as real. The ego’s illusions are numerous - judgment, loneliness, fear, attack, sadness, etc. Thus it is up to us to deny our illusions, seeing them for what they truly are. If there is one certainty about illusions - it is that, in the end, they never satisfy our needs, they leave us unfulfilled. Illusions exist only because we value them. We value them by placing our focus and energy on them, yet illusions are false. Therefore, their end result is emptiness, confusion, disillusionment and regret. Thus do not place your focus and hope for fulfillment on falsities and expect them to offer you truth. Falsities can only offer you emptiness. Follow them as much as you desire, but do not be surprised when hopelessness does not offer you hope.

When we choose to focus on illusions, we are choosing to hide from God. When we turn our attention to false idols, we unconsciously perceive ourselves as not valuable because our focus is on the valueless. We value the valueless, and invest our time and energy on empty searches for hope where there is none, and then we wonder why we feel hopeless. Unconsciously, we choose to turn away from God because we believe ourselves not worthy of His presence, not worthy of having a connection to Him.

Yet my dear friend, allow me to share that in front of God you will be unable to hide. You may share all your shame and thoughts of worthlessness and He will look at you through and with perfect love. You may try and try to convince Him that you are not worthy of His love, and His only response to you will be more love. Again you may share with Him illusion after illusion that you cherished more than Him, and He will simply gift you even greater and greater waves of love that will dissolve every shadow you gave a home to. My friend, there are no shadows in Heaven. Neither the most expansive trees nor the highest buildings have shadows. You may choose to look beneath your feet or behind you and you will still find no shadows. Instead you will experience only God’s love and light emanating from all, everything and everyone. This is what He offers you, and this is what is available to you in every moment, even those you perceive as "mundane."

God is in every moment, thus God is in what you currently perceive to be the "mundane." Yet if God is in the "mundane," then the mundane must not exist. For if in any moment, you were conscious of your connection to Him, could you ever call such a moment "mundane?" To God, the mundane moment does not exist. Any time you choose to join Him by asking Him for advice – He rejoices. Do you not rejoice if your son or daughter calls you for advice or to simply say hi? Do you not think that God can rejoice with equal or greater enthusiasm any and every time you call on Him?

You don’t ask God for too much, you ask Him for too little. God’s will for you is complete peace, love and joy. His will is changeless, forever governing everything. God’s will for you, and your will for yourself are one. Your highest will for yourself is His will, is His will for you. Thus He rejoices when you join Him in your thinking, and for that reason it is impossible to ask Him too many times for help. For when you ask for help you are simply asking for guidance, you are realigning with God, you are returning home to Him, and He will welcome you with pure joy.

Any time you are happy, joyful and at peace, know that you are consciously or unconsciously listening to God, acting on His advice, and thus experiencing union. Remember, you are always either listening to God or the ego, you are always choosing between union and separation, between the light or the shadow. Free will allows you this choice. In the moment, you can listen to God or the ego, but not both. When you have the feeling of separation, that God is not listening, know that is simply you choosing to listen to and focus on the ego. Yet know this, the moment is yours to do with as you wish. Thus, if you truly desire to join your Creator and follow your highest will, every single moment will allow you this opportunity, to begin anew. This is God’s gift to you, this is God’s gift to all of us.

If God is in every moment, then it is impossible for Him not to listen to you, but it is possible for you not to listen to Him. How many times have you experienced a friend talking to you, yet in the end you heard little or nothing he said? This happens not because you don’t love and appreciate your friend, but because you were placing your focus on something else. God calls on all of us, but not all of us choose to listen.

When you think God has not answered your call, it is you who is unwittingly not answering His. He calls to you in every moment, from every person, place or thing. The love of God is in everything He created. Look with peace upon your brother and it is God you are experiencing. Experience joy from a random act of kindness and it is God whose gratitude you feel flowing through you. Help heal a brother of sister from disillusionment and know that it is God who is leading your soul. God created His son perfectly. Thus to remember your perfection, see your brother and sister as He sees them; if you deny them their truth, you will be denying yours.

It is an honor that you return to my book when you feel lost. But know this, that what you are truly doing during those times is making a choice to return to your own center, refocusing on your true source and essence, and you do not need a book for that. For what is in my book was within you long before the creation of the book. And what is in us, is in all of us, in all people, places and things. In every moment, in every person, place or thing - God waits for you. And when you remember this, abundant gratitude will become your response to the moment, to every moment.

And so the present moment is presented to you, God’s eternal gift is once again revealed. Return your focus to Him, extend kindness, generosity, forgiveness, love, joy and peace to your brother and sister and you will experience your true essence and connection to all. The love that is this essence is always within you, thus always with you. There is never a moment where God is not. There is never a moment where God is not within you, with you. There is never a moment where God is not available to you, to all of us. Your sense of connectedness comes when you are extending His expression. Know this, only you can choose to deprive yourself of anything. Separation is overcome by union. When in doubt, turn toward the light. Ask for light and learn that you are light. God awaits your return to Him. Regardless of the journey you have taken, God awaits you with everlasting love, patience and peace. Allow His sun to rise once again in you, and in the light stand wholly unafraid. Allow compassion, forgiveness, love, charity and joy to radiate from you. Allow God to raise you up, embrace you in His hand, as a lantern in the dark, as an example of the triumph of the soul. And your brothers and sisters will see and experience you as a reminder to them that this same light, hope and possibility exists within them too. Become an example to them that those who are lost can be found, that those who were once blind can now see.

I will leave you with this very famous short story by Mary Stevenson. Any time you question if God is listening to you, any time you question your connection to Him, any time you feel alone and wonder if you’re not doing something right, I want you to remember this story below. Your union with God is unbreakable, your union with Him is eternal, your union with Him is available to you in every single moment, from now through the end of time.

Footprints in the Sand
by Mary Stevenson, 1936

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.

In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only.

This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord,

“You promised me Lord, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?”

The Lord replied, “The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you.”
 

Poem: Copyright © 1984 Mary Stevenson, from original 1936 text, All rights reserved.

Note:  To read more about God, you may want to read Chapter Six Overview: Trusting God.

 

   

View larger images of front & back cover 
of the great spiritual / self development book You Have Chosen to Remember: A Journey from Perception to Knowledge, Peace of Mind and Joy by James Blanchard Cisneros.