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Do you know who you are? I mean who you really are? Can you feel the brilliance of your being, knowing that you are literally a shining piece of forever with endless possibilities?
Enlightening Experience
Many years ago, I was given an awareness that taught me this great lesson:
I had experienced a frustrating evening with my 3-year-old. I had become exasperated with him, and lost my temper. That night as I said my prayers, I asked Heavenly Father to forgive me. I told him that I didn’t want to be like that. I didn’t like “me” that way.
The following morning, I had an illuminating experience. I awakened before sun-up hearing a penetrating voice in my mind saying, “Anne, THAT’S NOT THE REAL YOU!” (Referring to my angry self the night before) “THE REAL YOU IS THE WAY YOU WANT TO BE!”
I pondered on that: “The way I WANT to be?” “What is the way I WANT to be?” “Well”, I reasoned, “I want to be joyful, patient, loving, full of light and knowledge, etc.” Then is hit me, “THAT MUST MEAN THAT THE REAL ME IS ALREADY THOSE THINGS!” What a revelation!
I was also taught that the higher our spiritual resonance becomes in this realm, the more we are our “real Selves.” The lower the resonance, the less we are like our real selves.
Spiritual DNA
Jesus taught that “The kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20-21). He also explained that, “I am the true light that is in you, and you are in me; otherwise you could not abound.” (D & C 88:50) We have divinity and light in our spiritual DNA. Light is an inherent part of our divine make-up as is Truth, Alive-ness, Knowledge and Power (Moses 6:61). These qualities will abide in us as we make the effort to rise to the spiritual level that resonates in them. When we strive to reach those divine levels, we begin to become authentic.
Rabbi Zusya
There is a tale that I like about a Rabbi named Zusya. He was about to die, and his students gathered around his bed. They saw him crying and asked, “Master, why are you crying? You have lived a wonderful life and left many students and disciples. Soon you are going on to be with God, Why cry?” Rabbi Zusya said, “When I enter the next world, no one will ask me why was I not Moses. I am not expected to be Moses. No one will ask me, why was I not Rabbi Akiba. I am not expected to be Rabbi Akiba. They will ask me why was I not Zusya? That is why I am crying. I am asking, why was I not Zusya?” Are we doing everything in our power to find and be our REAL selves? Joy comes by finding and experiencing our truth.
The Truth of What’s Real In our first estate, we were perfect in our sphere and were joyous beings because we loved ourselves there and the progress we made. This life is a test to see if we can find and reclaim our TRUE identity. Fact is, we have TWO SELVES that are continually at odds: Our lower or “natural man” self, that we create on this Telestial plane, and our higher Self that has always been who we are.
Natural Man vs. Real Self
Scriptures talk about the “natural man” and how unrepentant, sensual, prideful and selfish “he” is. This natural man is an enemy to God. (Mosiah 3:19) If we’re believing this self, we won’t have the spirit of the Lord with us to reveal our truth. The natural man doesn’t want anything to do with God. “He” keeps us as far away from spiritual things as possible.
David A. Bednar said: “The precise nature of the test of mortality, then, can be summarized in the following question: Will I respond to the Inclinations of the natural man, or will I yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit and put off the natural man?”(David A. Bednar, April Conference 2013)
When we are preoccupied with our natural man self, we become self-ISH. It’s all we care about. It’s the immature part of us. I think we’ve all had times where we wonder why in the world we acted a certain way, or said a certain thing. “Oh I don’t know why I said that!” “ That’s not me!” When we can learn to act on our higher identity, we become self-LESS. We forget our selves and become instruments, which the Lord can work through. As He works through us, we begin to feel the familiar deliciousness that resonates with our souls. We feel ALIVE in Christ!
You can spend your whole life trying to figure out who you are, but it’s actually very easy. When your behavior, thoughts and words fill you with beautiful feelings, –THAT’S YOU, – because you resonate with it. It makes you feel good! So, what are things that help us have these wonderful feelings?
Focus On Light
Light will ALWAYS cut through and conquer darkness. If we can stop our obsession with less than noble thoughts, and FOCUS on light-filled things such as scripture, beauty of nature, beautiful music, serving others, etc, we begin to raise to greater levels of light. We only descend when our focus returns to Telestial attentions. The more light we allow in, the more one-ness to God we feel.
President Uchtdorf said, “Do you want to experience abiding joy? Do you yearn to feel within your heart the peace that passes understanding? Then turn your soul toward the light.” (Oct. 2017 General Conference, “A Yearning For Home”)
The more we center our minds on light, the more we can become our truest and deepest selves, not the inadequate “selves” that we have created. From that vantage point it becomes easier to look into the hearts of others and see THEIR true selves, and our personal power increases.
President Uchdorf also taught, “…the God of Creation, who breathed life into the universe, surely has the power to breathe life into you. Surely He can make of you the genuine, spiritual being of light and truth you desire to be.” (Dieter F. Uchdorf, April 2015)
The real you is a piece of forever with limitless potential. The REAL YOU, IS THE WAY YOU WANT TO BE! Do you know who you really are?
You Can Contact Anne at an********@ho*****.com.
