The Joy of Giving and Receiving

[Harbhajan]

The Joy of Giving and Receiving

God created the human heart beautifully and perfectly, to open through simple acts of giving and receiving. Much of this knowledge has been lost in the current industrial age, however simpler societies have retained this knowing, and those who are undergoing severe trials due to disaster, are re-discovering the great joy and blessing that comes from sharing one's blessings with their fellow human beings.

Now giving and receiving must be balanced in life. There are those whose hearts are wounded, and giving brings the beautiful opening of the heart but does not heal the inner pain. For these souls, what is needed is healing, and the consciousness and responsibility to see where one's motivation to give has become self serving.

When one's own inner needs are met, giving can happen freely and with the full measure of God's love. When the motivation to give is to avoid one's own inner pain, then the giving becomes more limited in vibration, and God's love is not able to flow as freely within this situation.

Giving also needs to be balanced realistically with what is possible in one's own capacity at the time. For those undergoing severe trials, challenges and difficulties, the ability to give will be less because all resources are being funneled into the process of getting through the difficulty. For these souls, it is important to feel free to give when possible, without the inner pressure to do more than is possible. Also for these souls, receiving becomes very important, as a way of replenishing and healing the weary spirit.

Receiving requires the humility to accept another's gift, and is a precious and blessed gift that also opens the heart. Receiving offers another the ability to reach forward and share, and offers the self the ability to feel loved and nourished and supported.

Receiving must also happen in balance, for there are those who feel so chronically empty that they arrange their lives to be the recipient of much giving from others, but without the openness of heart to be in the flow and the balance of giving.

There is an important teaching within the process of giving and receiving, that has to do with the full and willing participation in life. If one only gives, or only receives, there is a lack of balance that ultimately limits one to a less full experience of the beauty of God's love. Giving and receiving fully, opens the doorway to a rich and full experience that is the manifestation of God's love on Earth.

May all beings be blessed.

May all beings be at peace.

May all beings know and feel God's holy and blessed love at every moment. Amen.

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