Conch Talk
Let's Look at Ourselves & Lighten Up
"Divine Guidance "

By Dr. Sandy Islands for Conch Color

When we have faith that there is a Divine Intelligence governing, guiding, counseling and advising us to know what to do in all circumstances, we don’t have to feel so alone when we find ourselves in times of despair, loneliness and anguish. Urgings from our souls can be just as strong as thoughts in our minds if we allow ourselves to get quiet and listen. The voice of Divine Guidance is always speaking to us. Our only separation is when we think that we are separated. People seeking recovery, who have a hard time with the concept of God initially, think of God as an acronym for “Good Orderly Direction.” This allows them to open up to the idea than an Energy Source is operating in the universe that is bigger than the thinking which brought them to their bottom and into recovery.

Before my family left Key West, I printed out an AAA road map of our entire trip. This hit the trash before we hit the road. Each day we started driving at a certain time. After lunch and assessing how tired everyone was, we called ahead to pet-friendly hotels in the general vicinity where we wanted to stop before dark. Sometimes we made it that far and sometimes we didn’t. We found that our intuition guided us to travel unfamiliar roads and lead us to delightful surprises and unexpected pleasures. By allowing the days to unfold without adhering to a strict schedule, we found an order and rightness to different events and circumstances that we could not have planned. Each night we were thankful for the Olympics on TV and everything that happened in our divinely ordered day.

My husband, our dog, and I arrived safely in Hawaii. As I settle in, fearful thoughts arise with doubts for my future. The realization dawns that I’ll soon be job hunting and that I’m already missing my friends. I know that if I let this thinking spiral I’ll stay focused on the problem and miss the guidance that’s always present. In the past I’ve gotten into trouble being a slave to my self-will. I’ve aimed for goals, achieved them, but was still not satisfied. I set a new goal, raise the ante, and pushed harder. Stressed and burned out, I’ll make excessive demands on those around me and become frustrated because the planet isn’t spinning my way. I stumble into the darkness because I won’t take the time to turn on the light. When I let go of the need to do everything myself, I let guidance in. When I accept that help comes in unexpected forms, I release the hold on the problem and become willing to receive what’s just around the corner.

As soon as we open our hearts to Divine Guidance, we feel a calm serenity. Peace guides us through our troubled feelings and provides a clearer direction since our minds aren’t so busy and confused. We find that every time we open to guidance, we’re led to a better place than our minds have taken us. We are always in God’s presence and God is always present in us. Today, let’s choose to face any upcoming decisions by asking for guidance, seeking more spiritual awareness daily and trusting that as we practice prayer (speaking to God) and meditation (listening for the answers), we become more willing to receive the guidance that’s always here. Then, when we accept the blessing of Divine Wisdom as truth in all circumstances, our thoughts clear and we gain a faith-filled perspective on the present and the future. We trust that in silent communion, this light of wisdom will illuminate the path we need to follow and fill us with the quiet assurance that the answers will come and that our lives are on course.

Please write to me at sandyislands@hawaii.rr.com and feel free to browse previous articles at www.sandyislands.com under publications.

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