As
I write this article I smile within, because I was recently given a strong
lesson on the law of acceptance. I wanted to refer to my Native American
teachers but couldn't find any of the books. Chagrined, I put off writing
the article. After a few weeks, I realized that Heavenly Father was trying
to tell me that I already had internalized lessons on acceptance. I needed
to accept that my situation, although not perfect and not what I had envisioned,
was good enough.
What is the law of acceptance? Well, it is simply having the grace
to see what is in front of you, without judgment, and move ahead from
there. Many of us add static to our lives with our worries, fears, and
resistance when we find ourselves in a situation that is not to our liking.
And yet it is often precisely this situation that is right for us if
we walk with faith and not ego.
Jesus, it is said, lived two lives. The first three years of his ministry,
he was active: healing, walking around Galilee, preaching, and so on.
Then he went into what looks like a passive phase: He was handed over
to be condemned, whipped, scorned, and ultimately crucified. Yet we are
always struck by his incredible acceptance of the situation. He even
said that he could call for legions of angels to come down and deliver
him, yet he chose not to. After his resurrection, he said to Peter:
"When you were young, you were able to do as you liked and
go wherever you wanted. But when you are old, you will stretch out your
hands, and others will direct you and take you where you don't want to
go." (John 21: 18)
Wow! The Lord himself directly tells us that maturity is linked with
accepting situations and things we don't like! How often I ponder this
throughout the day, trying to be positive despite my aches, pains, insomnia
and workload. How often I ask for patience and the gift of gratitude
to bear my cross and even to help others bear theirs.
When I don't succeed, I end up grouchy, spreading waves of negativity.
When I do, God can reward my faith and step in. Today, for example, my
daughter and I had a wonderful conversation after my not understanding
her at first. When I refrained from being irritated with her, she was
able to blossom and come out with some amazing thoughts. (Last night,
she looked at one of my baby pictures and said, "You have a round
head".)
The energy of acceptance is feminine, receptive and trusting. It waits,
hopes, endures and is calm. It is the energy of the Native brave waiting
in the woods to catch a glimpse of a timid deer. Although he waits quietly,
he is also alert, listening for sounds or signs that tell him if he needs
to readjust to achieve his goal. It was this listening energy that told
some elders of the American tribes that the white man was coming to Turtle
Island before he arrived. And it is this accepting energy that has allowed
the Native people to share their sacred teachings with the sons and daughters
of those who slaughtered and killed their ancestors. Like Jesus, they
looked ahead and trusted that there might be something positive to come
out of their crucifixion.
To accept a situation you don't like doesn't mean to be passive. It
simply means to look at it without judgment. This allows God to step
in and show you the way out. For example, after giving up my resistance
to writing this article, I was wondering what would be the best time
to do it. Then, this evening, my daughter suddenly decided she wanted
to go to bed half an hour early. To me, that's a clear case of the Lord
making a way, and I felt I had to write the article now to honor His
intervention. I sure do love our Lord!
