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GRATITUDE |
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Tonight's lesson is on the subject of gratitude. Gratitude is a subject that needs to be much clarified in the course of this teaching mission because the present understanding of gratitude on Urantia has been very much distorted through the influence of your religious organizations which have sought to gain materially by this means. In the pure sense, gratitude is faithfulness to the Father who created all of us, and is expressed by action that is the reaction of doing the Father's will, being of service to others, and so on, as exemplified so well by Michael during His incarnation on Urantia. When one experiences genuine gratitude in this fashion there follows a deep and lasting fulfilment which is most gratifying, not only from your material state, but also in those spiritual forms. This sense of fulfilment and happiness is, in its highest form, the most rewarding and ennobling of all experiences. When you are fortunate enough to have this experience, it is wise to cherish it, and remember it, and reinforce in your memory the actions on your part which led up to the feeling of gratitude and fulfilment, for these acts are a critical part of your efforts to mature your own budding spirit within. You must react, children. Growth does not come to those who are inert, but is the result of a continuing, dynamic interplay between you, the individual, and the Father, within and without. You may ask, as Milcah does at times, “How can I be grateful when life is so difficult? When there is so much evil? When my fellow beings behave in such non-Father-oriented ways?” We are aware of the difficulty and intensity of your struggles on this fateful planet, and you may rest assured that the growth you personally experience as a result of your increased adversity on Urantia will be all the more enhanced. You have more help here now than at any time in the history of this planet, and if you can work at subduing your own animal senses, you will be better able to perceive the workings of all of the superhuman entities that abound here now. But let us return to our subject. Gratitude, like all of the other universe virtues, is life-giving, health-giving, and energy giving. Genuine gratitude is experienced in all sincerity without the least notion of gain or loss. It is most likely true that no creature of mortal origin ever actually experiences gratitude until that day in the distant future when in the presence of the Father Himself. Therefore do not judge yourselves too harshly for not being able to have the purest gratitude. But work on it, for, like the other universe virtues - love, kindness, truth, beauty, goodness, atonement, and so many more - gratitude becomes stronger and better with hard work, like a physical workout. If, in your mortal life, you are reduced to such a low point in your feeling that you cannot think of the least thing for which to be grateful, there is always the fact of existence. Such a gift is to be cherished. And really, without having existed, how could you ever go on to further work in the name of the Father? So you see, it all ties together. The fact of your existence is the major part that you take from one state of being, such as life in the flesh, to the next state of being. That you can take with you! And no material creation can take it away from you. You see, it is such an essential part of you. Only you can will it away. We conclude the lesson at this point, although this topic will come up in future lessons. (01/18/93) © 11:11 Progress Group. "Michael est toujours au Volant." (Michael is always at the Steering Wheel.) |