by Ross Bishop
At first, it might seem illogical to put us here to experience confusion and frustration, but that’s exactly what happens. Eight billion people all asking, “What the heck is going on?”
This confusion arises from a fundamental conflict between our beliefs—especially about ourselves—and reality. Why does this occur? Simply put, our spiritual growth is still in progress, and during this unfinished phase, we tend to focus on negative thoughts, particularly about ourselves, such as feeling unlovable and unworthy.
The challenge for the Creator is that we have free will, so He couldn’t simply give us the truth. In response, He created life on Earth to help us confront our false beliefs and learn to accept the truth about who we truly are. But because of our free will, each of us must accept the truth on our own, and that is the dilemma we all face.
The arena where all this takes place is through our conflicts, whether internal or with others. Conflict signifies a separation from the truth. The discomfort or even pain we feel isn’t punishment but a warning sign that something is out of sync. If we were aligned with the truth, there would be no pain, no discomfort, no conflict.
As a result, life begins with parents who are perfectly chosen to reinforce our tendency to believe negative thoughts about ourselves. So we leave childhood believing we are unworthy, unlovable and similar doubts. Our beliefs then shape our self-image and actions. For example, if I think I am flawed, I will act accordingly, and others will respond in ways that reinforce that belief. Conversely, if others notice something good in me and respond positively, I might ignore those messages because they conflict with how I see myself.
What should we do? The best way is to learn to work with the conflicts that our fears create. Start by paying close attention to your internal tensions; they indicate that something you believe is out of alignment with the truth. Part of the problem is that these tensions have been with you so long that you are accustomed to them and barely notice when they arise.
Another way to gain insight is through your conflicts with others. Now, others have their own issues, but if you can distinguish those from what you brought into the situation, and observe their reactions to that. That will give you material to learn from and work on.
One other thing that may help: When you have a negative thought, bring in something you did with this person, or even in general, that is positive. I can’t explain why this works, but it tends to break the cycle of negativity. It doesn’t work for everyone, but give it a try.
The challenge is that you really don’t want to do this. Like almost everyone else, you must be pushed into situation after situation until eventually, whether through your internal conflicts or conflicts with others, you surrender your beliefs and accept the truth. However, it often takes dynamite—sometimes a lot of it—to shake us free from what we believe. This explains our struggles.
Sooner or later, we all have to face what we believe and be willing to let go of those beliefs for the truth. There’s nowhere else to go! The only challenge is how much pain you’ll cause yourself on the way home.
It helps to realize that none of your beliefs are true, not even the positive ones. When you accept the truth about yourself, you’ll see that your beliefs were like toys—things given to students to help them learn who they really are. If you decide to take on this challenge, and honestly, few people do, I have created a workshop called “Unlocking The Secrets To Life and Happiness.” You can find it at: https://www.rossbishop.com/workshop/.
