Sunday, September 7, 2008

Opening the Door



Imagine deep within your heart there is a door. Depending on how trusting you are that you are loved and cared for will match how open the door will be.

For instance, if you are in great fear regarding a particular compartment in your life and you are desperately trying to keep control, the door is closed, and may be even locked. The metaphorical experience of being locked in feels very lonely. You desperately try to figure out what is on the other side....You want assurance that if you open the door and stepped over the threshold, you would be safe. Unfortunately, there is no little hotel peep hole that would let you see into the future. As you wait for a guarantee, you continue to work on how you can figure out some way to perfectly construct the answer to your prayers. Meanwhile, your prayers are being answered and waiting for you to open the door to your heart to receive them.

So what is it that is needed to open the door to our hearts? What I have learned is that it is unconditional love. It is joy. It is trusting that all is well and that I am never alone. If you have a relationship with God, this belief may resonate with you. How ironic it is, however, that although we pray and ask for guidance and help, we are often not open to receiving it. We may not see ourselves as worthy, or we believe that our needs are not important as compared to the needs of others. It is this kind of thinking that keeps us locked behind the door, waiting, feeling very much alone. As we wait, we become frustrated, more frightened and maybe even angry that we are not being heard.

Now imagine opening the door and stepping out, fully trusting that all that is to unfold will serve you perfectly. It may not be what you designed and so desperately tried to implement, but will actually be beyond your wildest imaginations for the perfect outcome.

I don't mean to imply that unconditional love and trust is easy, but I am saying it is worth the practice. I encourage you to first unlock the door and then notice that the doorknob is on your side of the door. Only you have control in opening it. Only you can take the first step. When you remember that you are infinitely loved, you will remember you cannot be harmed...that all is well and that it is safe to come out of hiding.

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