BEHIND THE VEIL Attaining Life Balance

What’s missing in your life? What’s absent in the lives of many today across the globe? In a world of eight billion people why do the vast majority struggle every day? What’s missing?
 
If we remove social, economic, religious, and political from the equation, we’re left with the individual. You and me, and perhaps those closest and most dear to us. Why are so many of us struggling? That’s not to say that stress, struggle, and conflict haven’t been part of humanity’s journey since the beginning, they have been. Life is a journey of opportunities to grow by successes and failures.
 
We are each mind, body, soul, and spirit. The first two we recognize and are enmeshed with 24/7. The soul and spirit are often the parts of our human entity lingering in the background. Dwelling in the recess of our being. They’re not as evident in the forefront of our activities, choices, or consequences.
 
We need to ask, what is it that makes people ‘tick’? And again, what’s missing from this ‘tick-tock’ of daily life? What’s missing for far too many people is a cognition that our soul houses our inactive spirit. When we embrace, recognize and use all parts of our being; mind, body, soul and spirit we become complete and are better able to see our world for what it truly is and offers.
 
Let me explain. In our most original created form we are each a ‘unit’ or bundle of electrical charged energy. When we are manifested to life as a human in the womb of our mother our electrical existence finds a home, a place to take root and grow. We become mind, body, and electrical charged soul housing a spirit which is part of God’s spiritually omniscient power as creator of the universe.
 
Think of it like this. We each are designed to have two legs and two arms. If a person is without one or two appendages, they most likely face hardships or encounter difficulties in life. If you are mind, body and soul by nature, but the spirit dwelling in your soul is ‘inactive’ it’s as if you’re missing an integral part of what makes you whole.
 
What do I mean by 'inactive'? The spirit we receive as part of our life’s energy in its essence is from God. Within our inactive spirit we innately know ‘right from wrong.’ This is part of our spiritual understanding, for it came from God as creator.
 
As we grow, we are standardized, accustomed, and socialized by the codes and laws of the society in which we live. ‘Right and wrong’ are fundamental in every society’s legal framework. These codices use ‘reward and punishment’ as applications of right or wrong actions and behaviors. When our spirit is ‘inactive’ it comes to recognize right vs. wrong as a community or society standard. Because the spirit is inactive it doesn’t identify ethics or morals as the roots, or the “why’s” of right & wrong.
 
How do we as Christians activate our spiritual connection with God? We accomplish this through Jesus Christ. We do it by sparking to life a recognition or “activation” of our spiritual connection with God in our soul. In John 4:24 we’re told God is Spirit. Just as Jesus was a human, possessing God’s spirit, we too have the capacity to acquire and thereby receive God’s Spirit. Being our Creator, we are spirit just as He is. If God’s spirit is Holy, living in God (Father and Son) then the spirit He created for us as also has the capacity to become Holy. Because it came by and from Him as creator. To activate and use His spirit as our strength we must first surrender our desire to be 'the god' of our life.
 
The question mankind has asked since its beginning is, why are we here? I believe the answer is quite simple: we are here to know that God exists, and then, to know His character and nature through acknowledgment and recognition of Christ Jesus.
There are three steps to activate and make use of His spirit in ours:
By Invitation
By ASKing
By Listening
 
When we’re ready to start a personal relationship with God, through Jesus Christ’s spirit what do we do? Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:7-8 ASK (Ask, Seek, Knock) and invite Jesus into our life. When we ASK, Jesus says and promises: “I will ask the Father, and he will give you an advocate to help you and be with you forever, the Spirit of truth.” (John 14:16)
 
Jesus goes on to say. “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said.” (John 14:26). This is our spiritual activation to initiate receiving God’s guiding direction.
 
So, the question becomes, How do we now use our activated spirit?
Again we ask but this time we query, ‘What Would Jesus Do?’ Every time we are faced with a situation, choice or decision, we ask 'What Would Jesus Do in this situation?'
His answer is recorded in John 16:13a, “When the Spirit comes he will guide you into all truth and tell you what is to come.”
 
We invite, we ask WWJD?, then we listen. God’ spirit living in us will answer, by giving us direct knowledge of our actions and the possible adverse consequences of our pending choice (John 16:14,15). When we choose to start a personal relationship with God through Christ, His desire is for us to know Him and be in concert with Him daily. But that decision to surrender must be ours to make and act upon. That’s why He allows us “free will” to make choices. Without free will to choose for ourselves what would be the point of a God/humanity relationship?!
 
When we ask (in this situation I now find myself) WWJD?, His guidance from within our spirit will show us the negative outcomes of choosing the world’s way, or our selfish “what’s in it for me”? way. As our counselor, advocate and guide, His spirit will share with us negative consequences should we choose the world’s way  (John 16:13b).
 
One interesting aspect of free will is if we choose to respond the way Jesus would we shouldn’t expect a ‘reward’ for our decision. He’ll show us the negatives of the world’s ways, but He may not reveal a blessing for obedience. This is ‘faith’. This is “faith in action.” However, when we need Him, He will respond (Hebrews 11:1). The point is not to be obedient to receive a blessing. The choice of obedience by emulating Christ is the blessing. God, being a loving parent, will remember our choice to be His child when we need Him most.
 
In our obedience to His Will for us by choosing to emulate Jesus in thought, word and deed, God smiles for we have trusted to accept and act upon His spiritual direction. When we react, respond, or behave like a child of God, He remembers our obedient choices and actions and comes to our aid when we need him  (John 14:15).
 
So, the question becomes, when His spirit is with mine and I choose the world’s path of temptation will God hold it against me? The answer is a resounding ‘No.’ Once we have invited Jesus into our life and received His spirit to activate ours, He is with us from that moment. As a believer and follower of Christ we are forgiven of our sins/misdeeds. However, having made the choice and decision to follow Christ if we choose not to listen to His spirit (in ours) and we continue to choose the world’s path, even as a believer in Jesus Christ the consequences of the world’s ways by our worldly choices still apply. We reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7). He will guide our choices if we want Him to, but He still allows us free will to choose how we will respond, act and behave.
 
What’s missing to negate stress, struggle, and conflict? Balance. We live in a physical world, but there also exists a spiritual world (remember, at our essence we are spiritual energy). The universe is always in balance. By its very laws it self-corrects to a state of balance, or near balance. The same holds true for each of us.
 
Think about a relationship you have that is currently ‘out of balance.’ Why is it unbalanced? Because the participants in the relationship each have their own desires, plans, and agendas. Ideally everyone ‘wins’ when there is 50/50 equality, or ‘balance.’
How does one achieve balance in life? Three simple steps:
Activate your spirit with a relationship with Christ.
Come from your highest self in every situation.
Use truth as your guidepost and compass.
Do these and daily stress, struggle, and conflict will melt away and cease to exist. You’ll know the truth. You’ll see the truth in your world. The choice will now be yours, will you live the truth?
 
Embracing balance within both physical and spiritual realms allows for growth in our personal, business, or career lives. There are many tried and true ‘How To’ methods and tactics in business. Once a businessperson practices these techniques to perfection, what’s left? If practice makes perfect, why are so many business people still struggling? Even if we know the ‘How’ we need to know the ‘Why’ to better understand the “people part” of successful business relationships.
 
Throughout life and in most situations, whether personal or business, humans respond in practiced ways. Behavior ‘manners’ often become ingrained. Our responses are often used repetitively until they become automatic. This zone of familiarity can easily evolve into habit. Unrecognized, its comfort may give rise to unacknowledged issues or problems. If detrimental responses to our personal relationships aren’t bad enough, they can be disastrous for our business.
 
So how do we alter or correct a deteriorating situation? What can we do to ensure our personal relations at home and in business relationships with employees, co-workers, customers, and clients remain vital, professional, and productive? We may sense things are ‘out of sync’ but why? More important, can they be fixed? How to go about accomplishing change? It’s a process. A process of change, or more aptly stated, “growth.”
 
Are you a different person than you were five years ago? Ten years ago? Twenty years ago? Hopefully the answer is yes. If you’re in business, the answer better be yes. Business and industries change over time. Why? Clients and customers want change. Employees need change. Status of different countries’ economies change. Technologies love change. And finally, people change. If you’re a business owner or entrepreneur, change is inevitable and necessary for growth. One must embrace opportunities to change, in order to grow and stay at the top of the field. Sometimes to stay in business.
 
Keys to successfully understanding and applying this process of responding to change/growth are essential for continued success at home or work. These are the “why’s” people respond in the ways they do. I describe it as “Three Three’s and Five”. What do I mean? We have to look behind the veil to see what motivates people to respond and react in the ways they do. These will help explain the “why’s.” When we understand the why’s, the how’s become self-evident. Understanding the relationship between the how’s because of the why’s engages people to be able to quickly evaluate needs, wants, and desires of customers, clients, employees, co-workers, even partners.
 
What are the “Three Three’s and Five” essential keys?
Let’s look first at three “Behind the Veil” tips that can improve any relationship, interaction with employees, co-workers, customers/clients, or family members. 
 
These three illustrate how a small change can make a big difference:
1. Acknowledge; attitude, belief, and perception. (Yours and The Other Person’s)
2. Replace your ‘old pattern’ response with a new learned response; while always be Polite & Civil.
3. Become a diplomatic expert. Remember, you were once where they are now.
 
Next, the Three essential elements for every project’s success:
1. Direction
2. Balance/Stability
3. (Spiritual) Power
 
Next, Three Cornerstones of interpersonal understanding:
1. Love
2. Approval
3. Agenda
 
And Finally, Five Motivators that determine every response:
1. Need
2. Want
3. Status
4. Love
5. Fear (of loss)
 
Awareness of these will guide your participation in relationships, will foster growth and interaction with others. The ‘ballast keel’ for success using these guiding elements is spiritual grounding. Activate your spirit with knowledge and acknowledgment of God; Father, Son and Spirit. Your life will never be the same.


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