The Opposite of Star Wars

NOT!!!!

My feelings cannot be trusted. This is not Star Wars. Not in that way. I must take actions because they are loving whether I feel like it or not. Whether or not my feelings follow is at best an event I view as a bemused spectator.

My actions are Thomas the tank engine and my feelings are the caboose not the other way around. I trust Jesus to lead me into loving actions, he is my engineer in the train analogy and keeps me on the right tracks. If the caboose follows during any particular loving action, I am to be mildly amused, but not obsess over it either way.

I think this is what the monks and nuns call detachment. It isn't that I have no feelings or don't care. It is simply not allowing my feelings and emotions to lead me around by grabbing my metaphorical nose ring or promoting themselves from caboose to engineer.

I say to my feelings in calming tones "Jesus tells me where to go and what to do, not you anymore. He is trustworthy and you are not."

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[Bold print represents what Seb is sensing God whispering in the depths of his heart during his prayer time. Bold italic print represents what Seb is sensing a Saint whispering to his heart in prayer. NONE of this is to be taken as authoritative instruction for us all. Click here to learn more about what this type of two way prayer is and is not.]

Drink This, Not That

Papa, You gave me this image this morning as I was longing for consolation…

I sensed You saying, I am the living water, drink from Me and you will never thirst again. I am the Bread of Life, consume Me and you will never hunger again. But this is a continual eating and drinking. Every time you are tempted to get grace, comfort or love from another source, feast on Me. I am the only Infinite Source of Life.

This thread runs throughout scripture and manifests itself in other metaphors as well.
My grace, My Love in action, My Divine Mercy are descriptions of this idea.
I am the Bread of Life, The Living Water, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity.
You are to allow all of these to come and abide in you, to cleanse you and to save you and they are all to flow out of you and into others. I give the gift of myself to you to pour into other's lives.

I then tweaked my 7th step prayer by adding:

To Thou who art the living water, I give my refusal to drink only Thee.
To Thou who art the bread of life, I give my refusal to consume only Thee.
To Thou who art the Heavenly King, I give my refusal to bow to Thy will.
To Thou who art The Comforter, I give my refusal to seek comfort from only Thee.
To Thou who art the Spirit of Truth, I trust Thee alone to take my hand and lead me.
To Thou who art everywhere present, I give my feelings of aloneness.
To Thou who fillest all things, I give my emptiness.
To Thou who holdest the world in His hands, I place my life firmly in them.

O Heavenly King, O Comforter, The Spirit of Truth, 

Who art everywhere present and fillest all things, 

The treasury of good things and the giver of life, 

Come and abide in us, cleanse us from every stain, 

And save our souls O Good One. Amen.

Illuminated by the Holy Spirit, All-Glorious One, 

from Christ the Savior you drank the water of salvation. 

With open hand you give it to those who thirst. 

Great-Martyr Photini, Equal-to-the-Apostles, 

pray to Christ for the salvation of our souls.

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[Bold print represents what Seb is sensing God whispering in the depths of his heart during his prayer time. Bold italic print represents what Seb is sensing a Saint whispering to his heart in prayer. NONE of this is to be taken as authoritative instruction for us all. Click here to learn more about what this type of two way prayer is and is not.]