The Willingness to Give

"To have all, give all, to all." -- A Course in Miracles

"Supply is infinite, but there must be receptivity.  We can have all the supply we will give.  But that is where the barrier is... we must have the willingness to give.  That is where the lack and limitation is." -- Joel Goldsmith

The issue of supply, of income, is a very popular topic for all of us, and for the media.  There seems to be a lack of supply for a lot of us at any given moment.  So the question that arises is this:  how can there be a lack of anything in what is infinite and ever-present and ONE?  This apparent conflict is the age-old struggle of the illusory separate self to maintain its apparent existence through fear and self-created lack.  This illusion can be illustrated by the following story:

A little boy was given a package of cookies to take to school and share with his classmates.  But the little boy, fearing there wouldn't be enough for him, chose to hide them in his desk and have a few each day for himself.  Was there a lack of cookies in that classroom?  No, but it appeared that only one child had cookies.  The reality was, they were given to him to SHARE... and if he opened his desk and shared them, all the children would have cookies.  And where would more cookies come from?  From the same place... because the little boy's parents loved giving, too.  And many of the other children would then ask their parents for cookies or treats to share, too.  Sharing is fun, and much more natural than hoarding.

So when the little boy was afraid, he hoarded.  When he trusted in the love that gave him those cookies to share, he shared and experienced an abundance of cookies and other treats.  And so it is with us.

Does this seem too simplistic?  It's simple alright, but not easy to be willing to pour yourself out to all of life.  Our egos resist, insisting that we can't, or we won't have enough.  We're not talking just about money, or about anything specific.  We're talking about the unwillingness to give that is the nature of the egoic, illusory self that hoards and takes in the name of  I, me, mine.  Our true Self gives without condition, pours out of the infinity of Being. "We must begin to pour, to start the outflow. The damming up of supply results from our failure to pour in some manner." -- Joel Goldsmith

So what is it that we are unwilling to unconditionally give?  Our time?  Our love?  Our presence?  Our attention?  Our honesty?  Our devotion?  Our commitment?  Our money?  Our unwavering support?  Our talents and abilities?  Our acceptance and approval?  Our forgiveness?  Our companionship?  Our diligence?  A non-judgmental listening ear?  If we are lacking in any of these, it is certain that it is our own unwillingness to give that is appearing as the illusion of lack.  All of these are IN us... we ARE the infinity of God pouring forth in the world.  We can only appear to lack what we are unwilling to give.
 
"The subject of supply plays a major role in our lives.  Until we begin to live as if we are One with God, as if all the Father has is ours, and act that out by sharing our resources, sharing forgiveness, cooperation, understanding, patience, whatever it is... until we are willing to give in this way, spiritual consciousness has not yet touched us." -- Joel Goldsmith