Ten Commandments Continued

Commandments 3 & 4

3. I always think and live joyfully in the present

4. I always take full responsibility for what I am thinking, feeling and doing.

The Commandments for personal responsibility

Last week I shared with you a piece of writing I came across that listed the Ten Commandments of Religious Science.

The first two commandments were essentially about trust. In a way they were about the first two steps of treatment. We need to know that God is All there is, and we need to trust (unify ourselves) with the knowledge that the Universe functions intelligently without my interference.

Today we’re moving into what I would consider the meat of Religious Science – that third step of treatment that connects us so deeply with personal responsibility.

Commandment number three reads: I always think and live joyfully in the present.

What’s so beautiful about this commandment is that it reminds us to stop and notice what is happening right in this moment. As we know, it is in the moment where the power is. It is our awareness – our ability to step aside and become the observer of our lives – that allows us to consciously direct our lives. When we know there is only God, and that it works intelligently, then it stands to reason that when we are present in this truth, we live joyfully– or joyfilled.

In other words, our lives become a divine expression of that joy that God is.

This leads perfecting into the Fourth Commandment which reads: “I always take full responsibility for what I am thinking, feeling and doing.”

That’s a huge responsibility, and some might even wonder if it’s even a burden. But when we take responsibility for what we are thinking, we take back our own power. We stop blaming others for our experience, and we start living from our truth. By being in the present, we can take things slowly. We can mark our time, recognize our actions, stop and consider before we slip into denial, blame, or a myriad of other actions that take us away from our Truth.

For the next week, consider taking time to reflect on your commitment to personal responsibility. What do you take responsibility for? What would you prefer not to take responsibility for? How much joy would you experience if you increased your level of responsibility, and took action accordingly? What would that look life for you?