Humility

True humility comes when you run out of strategies and realise that you’re powerless
Surrender comes as a result of this
It’s something that happens not something ‘you’ do

This is the difference between prescription and description in spiritual teachings
The seeker hears prescription
Because it can only understand what it hears in terms of itself
It’s personal
It’s something it must ‘do’

But when I say “you need to surrender”
I’m really saying that surrender needs to happen
That humility needs to dawn in your experience
There is no-one to do it

And if this kind of talk is frustrating
Then good
It needs to be
Learning that you’re powerless can be deeply frustrating
Even annoying

Then what’s left is to ‘admit it’ as the 12 Steps say
Pay attention
Be earnest and sincere
And honest about what you discover
And it’s inevitable that you’ll find the truth
Reality

Learn humility
And surrender
Then Grace can come

But it’s not an exchange
Surrender for grace
You’re not bargaining for power
This for that

Surrender is giving it all up
Even if there’s nothing to replace it
It’s just stopping
All the strategies
Because they don’t work
And so you surrender them all
Not as a deal with God
But just because they’re all fake and useless
You effectively create a vacuum
Grace fills it

Die before you die
Sacrifice what you are for what you could be

In your heart
Gather all that you think you are
All that you think you possess
All that you think you know
Gather it all up
And throw it on the fire
Today
Now

It’s time to wake up

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