Easy Does It!

WED., DEC. 18, 1991, 6:15 AM
FARM, STUDY

This, of course, is one of the way-to-live “slogans” of Alcoholics Anonymous, a guide to a lifestyle where drinking is not necessary. This morning I shall connect it, for you, with My gift of grace. You are not doing badly in living this premise, but you can always use some guidance. So listen and hear, o son of Mine.

It is an interesting set of three words, isn’t it? Grammatically it is awful, but it’s like a phrase from a foreign language – like déjà vu… the words don’t mean anything alone, but put together they make an understandable concept.

For those in A.A. the expression means… don’t get upset with life situations… don’t get angry because someone didn’t do what you wanted her to do… don’t get depressed because things aren’t going the way you expected. Knowing that situations like these are ones that encourage drinking, and that drinking makes overdrinking almost inevitable, the advice is Easy does it! Yes, and it does also fit the Hawaiian expression, No huhu.

Now immediately I must say that Easy does it is not a universal good. There are servants of Mine who are activists for some cause that I put upon their hearts. Sister Rosemary at Covenant House has continuing pressure to serve runaway and abandoned kids. Father Hoffman at St. Labre School daily has needs that require constant effort, even in his elderly status. I have many servants who give of themselves constantly and for whom more than an occasional Easy does it would make for lack of success in what they have dedicated to Me. Some break down under this pressure, but a breakdown for a good cause is quite worthy.

On the other hand there are people who strive for monetary or political success who do this for personal, selfish gain. Some appear to succeed in this life, but pay for their selfishness as life continues in other realms.

But let’s get back to applying this to grace. Grace is My gift. It is earned or deserved only in that you have accepted it, while many around you still continue to rely on themselves or on earthly helps. At the end of My life as Jesus I backed away from Easy does it!… in one sense. I really didn’t have to die. If I had been less dedicated to My “task” I could have lived on to preach, teach, and heal. That would have represented Easy does it. In another sense, however, My death did represent Easy does it! I just let the situation develop and didn’t do anything to change what should happen. I gave my life that you might have grace – the freedom to be all you can be.

Easy does it! There’s nothing you have to do to have this in your life… and to maintain it. But you are free to accomplish in appreciation for this that I give. If you never wrote or sent out another Ruminations you would still be under My grace. Yet you will, often having to put aside Easy does it! in order to meet your self-imposed deadline. You hear the many suggestions I offer, accompanied by some that seem close to demands. You do these because you want to show your appreciation, not because they are “requirements” for maintaining grace.

Your accomplishments were sufficient in the early years of your career to earn you the position you now enjoy. If you had been more of a devotee to Easy does it! You realize that you would not have accomplished as you have. You live in a culture of competition. The academic world is one of competition. When you succeed, as you have, then comes Easy dos it! Yet you still read three sets of finals and papers galore. You still are working, often hard, but it is because you can, not because you have to. That is an important difference.

Try to see everything that you must do as opportunities rather than onerous, necessary tasks. And always keep in mind that your relationship to Me is not dependent upon accomplishment… but I appreciate it when you do accomplish, in thanks for My gift of relationship.