The Teacher explains our power to choose:
‘There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, “Thy will be done,” and those to whom God says, in the end, “Thy will be done.” All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. To those who knock it is opened.’
It is our choice whether to live in the garden or outside of the garden. Just as it is our choice to accept or reject God’s call to us. Free will is a property of human consciousness, given so that we will have a choice.
Let us choose to live each moment in the Eden that opens to us when we decide to live therein.
Choosing the garden,
Z gardener
Good Morning Garden 
This very thoughtful response from a long time gardener. Thank you, Z.
“Our will vs. God’s Will” was a recurring theme in the CS Lewis meditations last week.
I understand why always “doing His will” is hard for folks: Sometimes with us, it’s immediate gratification, or our plans / our way, or what we want NOW; or maybe insecurity, or put simply – It’s the lack of understanding (that He has something better for us) and our impatience that inhibits us. Whereas, (to paraphrase both you and E. Fox) God works within His own perfect timing, ways and means (sometimes subtly, behind the scenes, on an invisible plane; and yet at other times, in a flash we can see Him moving swiftly and miraculously).
Nothing should be about what we want, but about what He wants for us. — If it’s a “given” that God is omnipotent, has our best interest at heart, and wants to put us each in our own true place; then our will and His should be exactly the same: Love, peace-of-mind, happiness, an exciting life full of joy “in the garden” should be our goals and destiny.
Yet we humans sometimes struggle at the edge of an internal vortex “event horizon”: with a back-and–forth (push/pull) war of choices re: what we know are the right and wrong things to do… Our will vs. His / Want vs. Should; and it can be a tough battle.
We rationalize and try to justify ourselves in making excuses regarding our desires versus God’s Will; and the cost of “I-Did-It-My-Way” always seems to be greater than what we bargained for by convincing ourselves that we could achieve our “wishes” by acting out our own impulses. We always feel bad later when we do what we want to do; knowing that it goes against what He wants us to do. If our actions offend Him, it makes us feel guilty. And of course the opposite applies: What we do for God and for others within our reach, we do for ourselves. Making a positive difference is gratification enough. Additionally, if we “pay it forward”, it boomerangs back to us.
Good thing that He’s so understanding, merciful and forgiving. “If He wasn’t, He wouldn’t have anyone to talk to.” –(“Little House on the Prairie” episode/character)
“It is actually the recognition that our sense of control is an illusion. We are only in control of what we think and how we act.” –(C.S.L./Stan meditation)
“… life is about the love you share not the mistakes you make.” –(from “A Better Person” meditation last week)
Heard a neat quote a few weeks ago: “Without Him, you can’t; but without you, He wont.”
Also duly noted: GOD CAN BE VERY STUBBORN WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT HE WANTS US TO DO. (I’m smiling while re-reading this last statement.)
(I think) Albert Einstein once said that “It is insanity to keep repeatedly doing the same things and expecting different results”. (Bad habits can be hard to break. Constantly watching, and working on, our consciousness must be controlled and conditioned by good mental habits.) Persistence is key, but, (seemingly) not always easy.
Having faith, accepting divine guidance and doing what we know is “His Will”: It seems like this would be an easy procedure to follow, and many times it is; but as you and I know, sometimes, it is not when Our Will gets in the way — and the weight of the struggle can have profound psychological effects on our mentality. “There comes a time when we must choose between what is easy and what is right.”
I know that you and Emmet would tell me that if our thinking processes are right, everything else will fall into place.
And C.S. sounds like his prescribed path is one of resolute decisions accompanied by the use of all of the intelligence, courage, might and diligence that we can assemble. The challenge is to keep this mindset going continually; but some days we look up and suddenly there’s a whole new perspective shift in front of us which stirs different thoughts and feelings. We get distracted and we’re off on some other path. So, eventually we correct course and get “back on the beam”.
Don’t mind my ramblings; you know, by now, that it’s what I sometimes do. Just wandering around in my head — looking for God, Faith and Perseverance to pull us all through life.
It’s all good though because it means that “creative thought and combined emotion” (powerful stuff) are close at hand… “knocking, seeking and finding”.
As long as there’s hope, there is LIFE.