Short Story: Spiritual love, and human love
By emptychair
@innertalks (23745)
Australia
July 13, 2022 10:41pm CST
Pastor Frelon Herbostke, was giving his weekly sermon to his parishioners.
His topic was: Love, and consciousness.
Here is what he said:
"The growth of spiritual consciousness depends on two things, the amount that you love, and the amount that you acknowledge God in your life."
"One without the other will not work, as you need to acknowledge God’s presence, and love God for being there too."
"You can love a lot, but without God, this remains human love; loving God lifts human love to God love in you."
"Spiritual love is the respect of a heart of love for its maker, as this respect becomes love, when it is connected to God, and this is why you must love God, and acknowledge his presence, as this is respecting him in love, and in person too."
"Spiritual consciousness is the energy that the flame of love ignites in you."
"'You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul.'"
"Swami Vivekananda, (1863 to 1902), a Hindu monk, said this."
"He is wrong there in one respect, though."
"He has left God out of that sentence."
"God can teach you. God can help you to be spiritual. God is the teacher of your soul."
"So, love God, acknowledge his existence, and your spiritual growth will then be assured."
"Ok, think on what I have just said. We will now have the collection."
And the good pastor then sat down, while sweet music was playing, and the collection was being taken up.
Photo Credit: The photo used in this article was sourced from the free media site, pixabay.com
Spiritual love can be greater than just human love.
Human love is great, but spiritual love lifts you into God's arms, not just into the arms of your Earthly loved ones.
2 people like this
4 responses
@yoalldudes (35028)
• Philippines
14 Jul 22
Love of God as I observed is beautiful and peaceful. Romantic love is fire burning savagely. It is changing.
2 people like this
@innertalks (23745)
• Australia
14 Jul 22
I prefer the peacefulness of God's love too. Romantic love can make us rather irrational at times too.
1 person likes this
@misunderstood_zombie (8765)
• United States
14 Jul 22
I believe the Holy Spirit is my teacher, always letting me know when I've messed up so I can make it right.
2 people like this
@innertalks (23745)
• Australia
14 Jul 22
I do not think that we can just teach ourselves spiritual stuff either.
We need a spiritual guide, such as the Holy Spirit, or God, in our lives, to help us to grow spiritually.
@innertalks (23745)
• Australia
17 Jul 22
@akanetuk Yes, that is a good point to note.
Loving others brings more love out from us too.
@Shiva49 (28397)
• Singapore
14 Jul 22
I think Swami Vivekananda had in mind the soul connection to our creator as some believe we are just sparks from the only source. So we need to be aware of this connection and be inspired therefrom.
We need to respect the creation of God and not take a selfish view that we alone matter, and anything goes for us.
Then the connection is established and we rise in our consciousness. Otherwise, we remain just human going around in circles thinking of God when in dire straits.
I think of a proverb in a language I know : We invoke God when faced with a dire situation and when we tide over it, we pat ourselves and forget God!
1 person likes this
@innertalks (23745)
• Australia
14 Jul 22
The way that he said it, it sounds to me more like that he is talking about our need to connect to our souls, but maybe you are right too.
Many spiritual teachers also sometimes claim that we must allow themselves, our guru, to teach us, and at least Vivekananda did not say that there.
Many false gurus also are like your quote.
When something good happens for us, it is their doing, but if something bad happens to us, it is our own fault, as we have strayed away from the exactness of their teachings somehow.
@innertalks (23745)
• Australia
16 Jul 22
@Shiva49 Yes, I got caught for a while following such a sheep herder, who herds his sheep into his own paddock, so you never get to eat the better grass, that is growing in your own paddock, when you follow his lead.
We really need to lead ourselves, and not give up our autonomy.
@Shiva49 (28397)
• Singapore
15 Jul 22
@innertalks I am not comfortable with the idea of gurus and similar self-styled know-all.
They soon take control over our lives to do their bidding.
It is an easy profession as we have no way to verify their credentials.
In India they seem to attract the women more.
I am not ready to cede my independence and freedom to those with dubious background.
Yes, it is said only a guru can understand and guide us, but who is the real one?
Many have been chastened by their experiences that leave a scar tough to heal.
1 person likes this
@innertalks (23745)
• Australia
14 Jul 22
Yes, if we just live our lives from human consciousness alone, we miss living a far greater life, at a higher level of awareness.
1 person likes this
