A couple of days ago, I read this by Madisyn Taylor

We all experience periods where we feel separated from the loving ebb and flow of the universe. These times of feeling disconnected from the source may occur for many reasons, but self-sabotage is the most common cause for us choosing to cut ourselves off from the flow of the universe. We purposefully, though often unconsciously, cut ourselves off from this flow and from the embrace of humanity so we can avoid dealing with painful issues, shun the necessary steps for growth, or prevent the success that we are afraid of achieving from ever happening.
When you choose to disconnect from the source, you block the flow of the universe’s energy from passing through you. You become like a sleepwalker who is not fully awake to life, and your hopes, plans, and dreams begin to appear as distant blurs on a faraway horizon.
Universal support has never left you, but if you can remember that you became disconnected from source by choice, you can choose to reconnect.

And I couldn’t agree more – how often do we distance ourselves from God & our Source?

If I rewrote this, it would say: “We all experience periods when we feel separated from the love of God. These times of feeling disconnected from God occur for many reasons, but self-sabotage is the most common cause for us choosing to cut ourselves off from the power of God.”

When I think about the times in my life that I have felt separated from God, it is usually because something has happened in my life (an event or words spoken).  As I have recoiled in pain from the situation or the person, suddenly I find that I have not only distanced myself from that experience, but from many others as well! And I have also pulled back from connecting with Spirit.

Joshua 1:9 promises us

Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

As near as the air that we breathe, Omnipresence — always present — no matter where we go.  “Nothing can separate us” from Divine Love.  And yet, we build barriers around our heart, because we don’t want to be hurt. And we push everyone away from us at those times, to numb the pain.  And suddenly we find, we have pushed away even Spirit.

There are so many promises in the Bible about God never leaving or forsaking us – we find something similar in Isaiah 41: 10

Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you …

And yet, so many times we find ourselves feeling alone and isolated from God.  What is happening in our lives?

I find that Jeremiah 32:40 gives a small understanding of what perhaps has been missing when we feel alone

I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never turn away from doing good to them, and I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will never turn away from Me.

What does this mean?  Philippians 4:7 sheds a little bit of light for us

… the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds

Divine peace is what guards our hearts and minds – this peace is what allows us to weather the storms of life, the events, the harsh words, the heavy relationships, without distancing ourselves from God and Source.  It is only when we surrender to this peace, when we choose peace over our feelings of hurt or anger or resentment, that we can guard our hearts and minds from feelings and thoughts that make us recoil from living continually in Presence.

We long for Oneness with God, but when we decide that a feeling – resentment, for example – is more important than peace in our hearts, then we unknowingly build a barrier.  And that barrier is not only with the person that we think is “responsible” – it becomes a barrier around us, around our heart and mind, and it separates us not only from that person, but from everyone and everything!

When Jesus says to us to forgive seventy times seven times, this is to ensure that we are banishing those thoughts and feelings, each time they arise, and choosing Divine peace.  We choose to let that thought/feeling go – choosing to remain in the place where we are connected with others on a spirit level.  Where we can allow peace and love to flow through us, without any blockages.

As I learn to practice presence, choosing each day to spend time in meditation and Oneness – choosing to spend time in Silence so that I can listen – I have been moved every day to work on forgiveness!  Recently I expressed that I wondered if I was depressed, but knew that I wasn’t. That I was simply working through the release work that needed to be done in my life!

As I have worked on spending more time in meditation, I have found it essential to spend more time in cleansing, forgiving and releasing.  Because if I truly want to spend time in perfect Presence, then I need to release from my heart and mind anything that creates a barrier around my heart, mind & spirit.  And I am convinced that the more time I spend practicing Presence in my life, the more I will work on the cleansing and letting go of everything that needs to be cleared.

… being persuaded of this very thing, that the One having begun a good work in you will complete it …  (Phil 1:6)