Blaming God

This week I was troubled by an email from a lady in South Carolina USA

Here is her question: (which I use with her permission)

Phil I understand you are not a fortune teller but I need some insight on these difficult times I'm going thru, first I have prayed and asked GOD to forgive me of all the wrong that I have done, done to myself and others I've laid in the bed and asked GOD to help me with my finances. I'm two months behind on my mortgage payment. When I have money I can't seem to do the right thing with it. When my loan was approved I gave GOD all the praise because I knew it was a blessing from him but now they are talking about oreclosure on my home. Why or how shall I let go of something that I feel like GOD blessed me with? Do GOD bless you with something then take it away? I'm rebuking the devil in JESUS name but some time I feel desperate to do almost anything to get the money I need before 8/4/00. I want GOD to be that desperate to help me. Please pray much for me and my finances. I need any input that may have to share with me to help me keep my faith and trust in GOD and his promises. GOD BLESS!

End of question.

My first reaction to this email was one of sympathy. I read it over and over again until I felt comfortable writing back to this lady. As I wrote I became more and more passionate and felt that while I am not going to share my personal response with you I am going to write on this subject.

There is a lot going on in this letter and I have no doubt that many of you are or have been a part of this letter.

The first part of this letter deals with her asking for forgiveness from God for all that she has done to herself and others. This is great. The acknowledging or the taking responsibility of one's past is a great tool - a great leap to allow oneself to move forward. To admit you made mistakes and to let them go is fantastic. Some would argue that we never really make mistakes - that we are always perfect no matter what. Yet, I say if a person feels they have done wrong and truly wants to let it go then let it go by the act of forgiving. This lady has now forgiven herself. In the same breath she notes that she has asked God to help her with her finances. Forgiving oneself or any other act of becoming closer to the expression of one's soul does not preclude that God is going to reward you for your fforts. There is no automatic financial reward for coming closer to one's spirituality. You do not earn Brownie points by forgiving and then trade them in for whatever you desire.

It is easy to put all our power in God and to trust and to have faith that all our needs will be looked after. We have been taught this and many of us believe it. What's missing from the formula is the word "do". I can ask God for a new car - heck, I write positive articles I should be rewarded with a new car. So I leave it in God's hands and sit in my driveway for weeks. All those cars drove by and no one said " Hey Phil, you need a car?" Where the heck was God anyways? He knew what I asked for and He knew that I needed one, so....? It is only when we pray for what we need, for what we choose to manifest and then take action "do" that we attract that what we seek. God couldn't really care if we had a fancy car or a mule. We get to choose that. We get to commit to what we will have and only we have the power to create it.

By this placing all this responsibility on God she manages to remove herself from the joyful opportunity of creating. She waits for God to do everything for her. Giving yourself over to God does not mean giving your own power away. It means entering into an alignment with, a partnership with, a joint venture with God. Each using the other as a creative expression.

When this lady was granted a loan for the home she gave all the credit to God. Did she think for a minute that perhaps her credit history and employment history was suitable enough for this to happen. Did she think for a minute that she was the one with the power to influence or choose a bank or lending institution that would "sell" her money in the form of a mortgage for many years. God was not rewarding her by her creating a house. She created it through the choices that she had made up to that date.

Now when things start getting a little difficult. Guess who gets the blame? God does. She questions God why He gives and then takes away? I say, maybe it isn't God taking it away. Maybe it has things to with like learning how to manage money. Maybe taking a second job. Learning how to invest. Learning how to shop wisely. Learning money. It's so easy to place the blame on a Higher Source instead of where it rightfully belongs - with self.

She asks that God be desperate to help her. Somehow I can't see God being desperate. God doesn't care if you live in a house or in a hostel. This idea of hers to slip so low that God will have to take notice is going to backfire. Ask anyone who has been in the bottom of the barrel. Anyone who has ever climbed out of there will attest that it was them - themselves- that made the choice to crawl out. It was only then, when they began to "do" that assistance from a Higher Source made its presence known.

God is not a menu in a restaurant. You simply cannot go in an order what you want. Well, yes you can but you will sit there for a very long time waiting. It is not until you decide to get up and go to where the cooks are and assist them in the dish that you ordered that you will ever get what you asked for. You are God. God is You. You are the Universe. The Universe is you. And so is everyone else. People often give their power away to another. Giving it away to God seems silly. After all he's the one that gave it to you. Use His gift. Create your own magnificence. Create your own reality. You're the power.

Finally this lady asks me to pray for her. I will. I ask that you send her your blessings and your love in order that she may use the energy that you send her for her spiritual uplifting.

Phil