Have you ever been chopping vegetables and had the random thought flit by, ‘I could cut off my finger if I wanted to’, or maybe be walking by a cliff and think, ‘I could just jump right off that edge’ or even, ‘I could push so-and-so right over that edge’?
Driving is another time these types of fear-based thoughts arise, ‘I could just cut off that other driver’, or ‘I could drive right into that tree’.
Some people get freaked out by these random thoughts or worry that they are going nuts. Don’t worry! This is just another example of free will in action. Sometimes our soul presents us with pretty drastic options, like a pop quiz just to check in to see how we’re doing. Are we on track, clear about the direction we’re going right now? If so, we simply say, “No, thanks”, and just let that thought go. I highly encourage laughing at this type of thought – laughter dissipates the energy instantly.
At other times, if a random fear-based thought pops into your mind, you may simply be picking up on other people’s negativity. Remember, we are all one at the level of consciousness, so we will often unknowingly tune in to someone else’s fear-based thoughts. If you hear a thought in your mind that doesn’t feel like your own, just let it pass with no attachment. These kinds of thoughts don’t have the power to upset your peace! Remember, you are not your thoughts.
People who actually entertain the idea of saying, “Yes, Ok, I’ll do that” to the random, sometimes bizarre, tempting thoughts that occasionally flow through their minds will definitely receive more of these types of thoughts. This is Spirit’s way of saying, “Really? Are you sure you’d do that if given the choice? Ok, how about this?” Sadly, sometimes people with very weak wills actually do listen and act upon these types of derailing thoughts. The next time you hear the story of the mother who drove her kids off the bridge or whatever shockingly bizarre scenario, just send compassion to all of the souls involved, and give thanks that you’ve achieved your own level of strength with usage of the tool of free will.
Wherever you are in your life in regards to temptation and free will choice, it is vital to claim your own power to choose your own response in any given circumstance. The truth is that you always have the power to choose to act in your own highest good. To do this, you may need to let go of old beliefs that have empowered a source outside of yourself. For instance, many religions teach that temptation comes from the devil or is evil. The idea that there may be some negative force outside of yourself that is stronger than you are is a cop-out. Using ‘the devil made me do it’ as an excuse is a way to deflect personal responsibility and serves no one.
In addition, since most of us have given into temptation a few times (Ok, a few hundred or a few thousand times), the ideas that we are sinners, are bad and/or are going to hell are all ideas that fail to serve us if we desire to change and grow. If we believe we have already been consigned to hell for our sins, why would we need to strive to do better? Conversely, if we believe that we are guaranteed a spot in heaven by giving our power over to a religious figure or certain organization, we will be giving into the temptation to settle and will carry the expectation that everything is magically going to change because we are on the ‘saved’ list.
This used to drive me crazy as a child. I was raised Catholic, and I just could not comprehend the way my own parent could listen to the priest on a Sunday, spend the entire week doing everything the priest said not to do, simply take communion again the following Sunday, and, knowing all was forgiven, repeat the same unhealthy actions and behaviors the next week. There was a completely irrational idea being perpetrated that people didn’t have to be held accountable for their own actions so long as they believed that they could be saved by attending church every Sunday. I boycotted that church at about eight years old and never looked back.
Since then, I have heard of dozens of churches where people are told they are ‘saved’ just by getting baptized into the church and signing on the dotted line as a member. I’ve heard of spiritual organizations that claim to save their followers’ souls as long as they tithe their ten percent monthly or donate all of their money and worldly goods to the cause. I’ve heard of spiritual figure-heads who claim that they can clear their followers’ karma for them, as if the student doesn’t have to lift a finger to complete their own spiritual curriculum. I have heard certain religions claim that if you just do x, y & z your soul will be forever saved. I have heard religious figure-heads claiming that certain people or even whole groups of people will be eternally damned for not doing or being x, y & z.
Let me clearly state that from the perspective of Loving, all of that is what I would call ego-based, irrational dogma and has no place in real spiritual transformation. The truth is that each of us needs to be personally accountable for our choices, clearing our own baggage and completing our own lessons in order to move into alignment with the will of God.
You are the one and only one who is in charge of your soul. Say, “I am the only one responsible for how I deal with ego-based temptation, free will’s pop quizzes and completing my soul’s curriculum.”
Many Blessings of Joy and Vibrant Freedom
Action Step ~ Take dominion of your own free will choice by taking full 100% responsibility for your choices in any situation knowing you always have the power to act in your own highest good. Declaration: “I am the one and only one in charge of my choices. It is up to me to choose how I deal with random fear-based thoughts, temptation and completing my own curriculum. I always have the power to choose to act in my own highest good.”