Therefore, before the two great gifts were given (consciousness
and free will), God established a simple but universal law: whatever
we do with our mind and will comes back to us, not as punishment
or retribution but as education and enlightenment. The law is
intended to help us appreciate the effects of our individual thoughts,
words, and actions upon God, others, and even ourselves. We recognize
this law when we say, “What goes around, comes around.”
In the scriptures it is written: “As you sow, so shall you
reap”; “With what measure you measure, so shall it
be measured to you.” Even proof-oriented scientists observe
that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
This is the law of action and reaction, cause and effect, the
law of karma.
The law is unavoidable and immutable. Jesus teaches that not
one jot will be erased from it. How then can any of us recover
from mistakes? How are we to learn, if every misuse or abuse
brings reactions? Are we now trapped in a tangled web of karmic
backlash to our past actions, words, and thoughts? Cayce’s
readings teach that, “God has not left us without a way.”
That way is grace.
Grace is that wonderful spirit that imbues every fiber of our
being when we practice the fruits of the spirit: kindness, patience,
understanding, forgiveness, love, gentleness, fellowship, and
long-suffering. Cayce says that “against these there is
no law.” But he says “doubt, fear, avarice, greed,
selfishness, self-will; these are the fruits of the evil forces.
Against such there is a law.” Obviously we want to choose
grace over karma.
Jesus calls us to “learn what this means: I desire mercy,
not sacrifice.” The meaning is that a built-in grace already
exists in this exacting law of karma. Here’s how it works:
The law is absolute, right? Yes. Therefore, what we do or think
comes back to us. Then, if we begin to understand mistakes by
others, the law -- always at work and never compromising --
reacts with understanding toward our mistakes! If we begin to
forgive others, the law reacts with forgiveness for us. And,
best of all, if we forget the misuse or abuse by others, then
ours is forgotten, too.
This is the deeper meaning behind Jesus’ words “I
desire mercy, not sacrifice.” Few of us could sacrifice
enough to make up for all our mistakes, but having mercy toward
others who have misused their gifts brings mercy to us. The
law is absolute. Therefore, jots of understanding, forgiveness,
and forgetting come back upon us as we give them out to others.
It is perfect. It is simple. What we give, we receive. The law
is filled with latent grace waiting to be released.
Do we seek forgiveness? Then, we must give forgiveness. Seek
understanding? Then, give understanding to another. If we want
our sins forgotten in the Mind of the All-Knowing, then we need
to forget what others have done to us. Let it go; release it.
Stop holding onto little spites, hurts, and bitterness. They
weigh us down, limiting our ability to grow closer to heavenly
consciousness. Ancient Egyptians weighed the heart to see if
it was light or heavy. A heavy heart caused the soul to sink
into the underworld, but a light one allowed the soul to rise
through the heavens. Cayce explains that the High Priest Ra
Ta rejuvenated his body by “casting aside the years of
toil and strife through which the body had passed,” 696-1.
In other words, he let go of the things that had aged him. By
letting go, we may release ourselves and others from the heavy
burdens of regret, disappointment, self-doubt, and guilt. Just
let them go! Shake them off, get up, and get going again. But
for this to work, we must also do it for all those we meet --
allowing them to be freed of their burdens and our judgments.
Most of our opportunities to grow in grace will not be with
strangers, for the hardest to forgive are those closest to us:
parents, siblings, spouses, children, coworkers, and friends.
These relationships bring the greatest challenges and opportunities
each day. And, we may also think that the greater opportunities
for soul growth concern life and death issues, but they more
often concern little everyday situations. The very next person
that walks up to us brings potential grace. To release this
grace, we simply have to use our God-given mind and will to
choose to interact positively.
However, we can take this too far, allowing others to do whatever
they wish despite their influence on themselves, others, and
God. Tough love is as much as part of the journey as understanding.
Sometimes, we help our loved ones, friends, and coworkers more
with loving truth. Jesus did not ignore Peter’s errors,
but called him to rise to a higher level.
Karma and grace go hand-in-hand, because the law is so perfectly
crafted. Grace is the rosebud on the thorny stem of karma. The
blooming of this bud is dependent on our present use of free
will and mind. Cayce taught, “God is Law, and the Law
is Love.” The disciple Peter wisely observed that “Love
covers a multitude of sins.” The disciple John taught
that “God is love; and he who abides in love abides in
God, and God abides in him.” Cayce asked us all: “How
can it be then that you do not understand God loves you?”
Sensing our questioning reply, given that our lives are not
always happy, he stated: “Why do you suffer? It is mercy,
it is justice to your soul! For those things that are cares
of the flesh and of the Earth cannot inherit eternal life. Hence
life alters, life changes in the experiences of individuals
through their sojourns in the Earth, and thus you learn your
lessons, even as He; for though He were the Son, though you
are His sons and daughters, yet must you learn obedience through
the things that you suffer.” Karma is a teacher. Freedom
comes with responsibility. And oneness is not achieved without
cooperation. Obeying the law of love is required.
Let’s live in grace by applying the fruits of the spirit
each day.
-END
