On Earth as it is in Heaven

 

Thomas Lee Abshier, ND
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Christian Counselor

Naturopathic Physician

Political Philosopher
Physicist-Theologian-Author

 

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Marriage & Personal Counseling

Medical Consultations

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1414 NE 109th Ave.

Portland, Oregon

(503) 255-9500
naturedox@qwest.net

 

Inner Joy

By Thomas Lee Abshier, ND

 

In public and private relationships, work, health, finances, recreation, and self image, the situations, status, and behaviors of life will not usually not be adequately perfect to experience consistent happiness.  Disturbances and disappointments happen inconsistently and unpredictably, and our emotions drop hearts hurt.  We strive to stop the pain so we can be happy.  But the disturbance and disappointments continue, and the happiness we desire remains elusive.

 

Stopping the hurt is important.  Life is better in the presence of health, wealth, and the resultant happiness, but inner joy cannot be based solely upon calming life’s waters.  Inner joy can be based upon holiness.  When you sincerely follow the Scriptural precepts of Godliness, the leading of the Holy Spirit, and open yourself to correction, you have done your best to establish the first foundation to inner joy.  

 

Inner joy arises by choosing it.  Inner joy is God’s experience of life.  The righteous life, the forgiven life, the humble life is the foundation of Godliness and inner joy.  To experience this state:

• Choose to experience inner joy as a felt experience.  God is unhappy with injustice, imperfection, disorder and pain, but He loves His creation and His creatures.  He is a loving Father, and His children bring Him joy.
• Live in the joy of the Lord.  God lives in joy at observing and participating in the flow of life.
• The imperfections of Godliness diminishes happiness, but the joy remains for God as He loves while watching and participating with His children.
• God observes the world, but but is fully involved as a participant, and joy is the foundational feeling.  Observe like God, and hold that Christ consciousness of being in, but not of the world, and love all of God’s children, even if they play badly.
• See the play of life from God’s perspective.   Observe the pain and errors, and learn from each mistake.  Life is imperfect, people are imperfect, random circumstances collide with beautiful order and smash it.  Let the  and feel their imperfection, and allow them to be their own teaching lessons.  
• Do not let your happiness be solely dependent upon the perfection of life.
• Live at a base level of joy, and add the perfection of life to that level of goodness.
• Know that the goodness and righteousness of your thoughts, speech, and actions will be enough to give you the right to that heavenly joy here on earth, even if the earth does not acknowledge your goodness and intentions, even if they slander, and say false things, even if they do not appreciate the goodness and call it bad, even if they hurt you and take your possessions, the things and people you love, and take your reputation and life, it is God’s world, not your own.  Live it as a service to Him.  Let your life be a sacrifice to God.

 

Story, couple A&B.  B had been badly hurt in life.  They got together and B thought they were happy, but then A had an affair.  B couldn’t overcome the hurt, and wanted to break up, but A got pregnant so he stayed.  But B carried the hurt, acted defensive, psychologized, was in denial of his own accusatory tongue, and self defensive strategy to attack back, use sarcasm, demand change from her, and justified his own reactions and harsh words and judgmental attitudes because she was so wrong.  

 

A left B, taking their child, O.  B was very unhappy with A leaving with O, and redoubled his sarcasm, statemetns of victimization, protection, denial of personal cause, and blame of A for having behaviors that were the cause of all the feelings he had.

 

A was even more sure that she wanted to be away from B because of his behavior.  

 

Therapy:

The case began to break when A was instructed to repeat back, miror everything that B said.  A was instructed to be open, hear things clearly, repeat back with words that let B know that he was understood.