Gloria to God:

Yesterday Mother Divine said that when we are around someone and start to feel uncomfortable and unsure, we may well be picking up their feelings. Like a friend of mine who usually seems so certain, I find when I'm around her I start to feel inadequate, so it could be I'm picking up her feelings of inadequacy.

My question is, though, isn't everything we see a reflection of ourselves? Isn't it my own issues I'm looking at?

God:

No contradiction here. When the reflection of your friend's insecurity bothers you, it is your bother. Look to yourself. Work on yourself, not your friend. Cure yourself of insecurity.

Gloria:

How?

God:

First of all, know it doesn't really matter.

Second, ask Me.

Say: "Dear God, please remove this bane of insecurity from me. It takes up too much of my energy, and brings no reward to me or anyone. What do I think I need it for? What is it but a certain kind of fearing that I am unequal? Help me put my attention on my strength, and You are my strength.

"Help me to call on You and not my fears.

"All my fears were learned. They are passing fancies.

"But You always claimed me, so now I want to claim You.

"If today is a feast you have set out for me, why would I look for something missing?

"Let me enjoy all Your provisions. Let me even enjoy myself.

"When I enjoy myself, I can enjoy others more. Dear God, please help me to enjoy and value myself more."

Gloria:

Thank You. I come back again to the question of expressing myself or not expressing myself. With that particular friend, I am usually left with an aftermath of second feelings. She doesn't believe in me. She thinks she is better than I, or smarter. She sees things one way, and that's it. Why does she want to be in my life, and why do I let her in? (As I write this, God, I'm not sure I feel as strongly about it as it sounds.)

God:

I will translate what you are saying. You are saying that you don't believe in yourself.

You need your friend to value you and HEAVEN because you lack faith. At the same time, you are aware that you cannot find faith in your friend. She lacks it in herself, and so she has to appear to know better than you.

And then you remember her good qualities (the qualities you like), and then you feel guilty that you are irritated with her.

Why do you spend the occasional hour with her?

Because she calls you and always has and brings back to you an old familiar feeling of insecurity.

Gloria:

If everyone in my path is a messenger from You, then she is. And what is Your message to me through her?

God:

Value yourself and Me. Your annoyance with your friend is equivalent to the annoyance of a fly buzzing around you. But you see it as more. I say that because, although a fly's buzzing annoys you, to My recollection, you do not spend time agonizing over why the buzzing annoys you.

My children spend much time in reacting and questioning in idle places.

Question Me. Ask Me what I'm thinking and what I want you to do. Ask Me and yourself, "What is important today?" Where do you want your thoughts to be? And then put them there.

Mother Divine:

Gloria, you don't have a husband, so you have to find other people to put your annoyance on and find fault with.

How about not finding fault?

How about finding blessings?

How about catching the blessings?

How about passing them on.

How about letting love reign?

Gloria:

Karen once said that you and God and Christ are simply other forms of love.

Mother Divine:

That's what We are. And that's what you are too, another form of love. All are forms of love. What did you think you were?

Gloria:

I don't know.

Mother Divine:

Isn't it amazing how forms of love can look everywhere for love when it's right there within them? Isn't it amazing that you do that?

Gloria:

Habit, Mother Divine?

Mother Divine:

Habit. Learned habit. Habits are learned and thus can be unlearned.

The Ask God Continuing Ed Workshop today is a valuable focus of attention. How do you feel when you think of this group?

Gloria:

I feel relieved. I feel blessed. I feel eager. I feel rewarded. I feel grateful. I feel that we are doing what God wants. I feel it is not passing time but being fully with God. I think it is beautiful. I think it's a miracle, Mother Divine. And I feel the workshop is not in our hands.

Mother Divine:

It is God's meeting, and He presides. He will be there.

Powerful serenity when you meet. This is truly a meeting of souls, a meeting prearranged by agreement in disparate time and places. What conscious mind could have created this meeting? Only God's, of course. No one can be made to come, and no one who comes can stay away.

I will be there, and angels will fill up the room. Therefore, there will be much silence.

Whatever reason someone thinks brings him to this meeting, there are reasons beyond.

Begin the meeting with:

"Thank You, Heavenly Almighty Father, for bringing us together here. We pray we fulfill Your Will, and that You show us how. We express our tanks to You for choosing us. We are open to what You have in mind and are waiting to receive it. Amen."

And this is a prayer that would do for any morning.