Influences

SAT., NOV. 24, 1990, 5:59 AM
FARM, STUDY

In your professional field there’s a concept called locus of control which has to do with influences on what a person does… and does not. At one extreme is the one who makes every decision on his own, with absolutely no influence from others. His opposite is the one whose actions are not only influenced but are absolutely determined by others, with no capacity or desire to be independent. Obviously most humans are between these extremes, with cultures and families having preferences toward internal or external loci of control.

An academic beginning, certainly, so what do I, the Holy Spirit, have to say about this psychological paradigm? Enough for a full Teaching, be assured, o son.

First, I’ll say that this concept is short one important element – the spirit. This means both the spirit of the person and Me, the Holy Spirit. Now you see that these are still internal and external, but they can be of quite a different nature than the mind and the culture. As I have told you many times the mind and the spirit often oppose one another, and you know that My way is often other than the dominant push of your culture.

You, as a person, then, are influenced to action by the functioning of your rational mind – what you have learned and how you apply these learnings. You also are part of a culture, so there are both general and specific influences plus the influences of significant other persons in your life. Expansion of the concept takes into account the influence of your spirit, which was not new when this life commenced, the spirits of others (some in bodies and some not), and, finally, this Holy Spirit.

You see, of course, that your mind and spirit are both the influences and the determiner of behavior. Occasionally you are aware of this struggle for dominance and of which “wins out” in a particular situation. Still, there is not great conflict in your person. There is much more working together or working out compromises than there is frank warfare. I am more of an active influence than I am for most people… again, just because I choose to be. You accept My influence fairly well.

You are satisfied with your life and with most of your decisions, and yet you often yearn to do better. You don’t like to fail at what you want to be doing, and you still aspire to accomplish. I, too, am satisfied with you as a developing spirit, and yet I want you to become more spiritually aware. I want you to be yourself, and I also want to exert more influence in your life. I am satisfied that you come for these Teachings 3 or 4 times a week… and still I would like it if you were open to Me every morning. Yes… you are balancing, and so am I.

It is good to be aware of influences. It also is good not to be too introspective and analytical. You have to balance these two goods. I sometimes am guiding you to a particular action. At other times My influence is toward being fully yourself., not some paragon I would have you be. You can only improve, truly, from where you actually are. So I call on you to both heed Me and My Teachings and be yourself, in your actual best. Be both critical and accepting of yourself… not in conflict but in loving, gentle complementarity.

This is another approach to the discouragement of attachment. I call on you not to be attached to any idea, behavior, or state of being. You can still be committed and can give full energy… to life itself. Just resist being attached, so that other influences are not even considered. To others, even other Christians, I give almost counter advice. Be attached to Me and to this faith. Have no other influence but Mine. I like variety, and I see value in even conflicting directions in the lives of those who serve Me.