Looking in the Right Direction

Looking in the Right Direction

We all seek to know and know that we know so let us cover the points we need to know to arrive at this. We will make a list beginning with the first one today. In this direction is a truism that I just added to the list which is: “You find what you are looking for.”

Question: How is this a key to understanding why some people hear a deceptive voice? Since we find what we look for then what do we need to look for to avoid deception?”

JJ: It is interesting the Bible tells us that deception occurs through a “familiar spirit” working with the person. The image this normally conjures up in believers is that of an evil devilish spirit whispering naughty or forbidden things in the person’s ear. But perhaps the deeper truth is something else.

The main thing that causes the seeker to be deceived, as he seeks an answer to his question, is his refusal to drop that which is “familiar” to him. A little child is not attached to familiar comfortable beliefs so he is open to whatever is presented to him. Adults are plagued with a “familiar spirit” in that they love to accept that which is comfortable to their desires.

To find the truth then we must let go of the “familiar spirit” and become open to accepting that which is not familiar.

If it is true that we find what we are looking for, how is it even possible to find the truth? Do not all of us look for verification of that which we desire or seem familiar to us?

The only solution is to free ourselves from attachments, let go of the familiar and desire only the truth no matter where that leads. Many people who are yet attached feel they are not influenced by their attachments. This is what makes finding the real truth so difficult. If the seeker believes he is willing to accept the truth no matter what, yet is still governed by his attachments then he has no impetus to take the final step to truth.

You find what you are looking for. In other words, if the seeker has a casual interest in the truth, but that which is not true is the object of his desire, he will see that which is false as the truth.

The desire for the truth must be the only desire in the consciousness as the truth is sought.

Before my first marriage I met a beautiful girl that caused me to tumble into a powerful attraction. She seemed to be everything I wanted and I thought I was in love. Just to make sure she was the right one I asked God if I should marry her. Nothing seemed to come at the time, but the next time I was with her the spirit within me was grieved and said no. I was not supposed to marry her. This only lasted a few seconds and then my feelings went back the normally warm feelings of a romantic relationship.

After a few days of steady good feelings, I thought that maybe the negative answer was my imagination, but then it came a second time. Then a couple days later it came a third time. Then one day as I was reluctantly contemplating how to follow this answer I did not like she came to me with a troubled look and said.

“I prayed about us last night and God told me we are not supposed to get married.”

“I know,” I said. “I received that answer some time ago. I’ve just been reluctant to follow it.”

We then agreed to end our relationship and merely be friends.

This was one of my many lessons that seemed to be designed to teach me to follow the direction of the Spirit no matter where it leads. Time and time again I found the Spirit to be accurate and the sooner I dropped my attachments and yielded, the better the end turned out to be.

After a gap of over thirty years I met this lady again and I was amazed how different our consciousness turned out to be after a space of time. She was a Relief Society President in the LDS church and I no longer attended church but was pursuing metaphysical thought that would have been alien and troubling to her if I had married her.

But more important was that even though my first marriage ended in divorce, it was of extreme importance that I marry her to work off karma from a past life and the situation forced me to examine my belief system.

If I had followed my desires, I would have delayed this karma for a lifetime or more.

Since we find what we are looking for we must look in the right direction, the direction of soul contact, the direction of pure Spirit, not of the familiar spirit. The moment we let the magnetic power of the lower personality pull at our attention (as we seek) we become susceptible to deception and will take an internal emotional desire as an answer from God.

The first key then to true knowing is the understanding of the truism:

“You find what you are looking for.”

What is the second key?

One may say that we merely need to follow the Principles of Discovery already discussed, but what we are looking for here is slightly different which can be expressed as follows:

“When we do seek and find (or discover) how can we know that which is discovered is correct?

The seeker will never know if he is looking in the wrong direction so this first key is important.

The second Key is soul contact. Since we have already much material on this subject I will ask a question that may shed additional light.

When one achieves soul contact does this mean that he will no longer be deceived by falsehood? Why or why not?

A New survey by the TNS Group revealed the following:

54% of those polled reported they are excited about the leaves turning color this fall.

48% say they are excited about the election.

Does this mean that leaves turning brown are more interesting than the candidates?   Interesting thing to contemplate.

Sept 21, 2004