I wonder if the basic difference between duty and love isn't the difference between "got to" and "get to?" Maybe it's all one of perception..."got to" [MUST-ego demands] and "get to" [MAY- God permits].
Simple example: I've got to visit my sister; I get to visit my sister; I've got to take Ruckus out; I get to take Ruckus out. Got to bars the door (resistance); get to opens the door (nonresistance).
A tish more complicated: I've got to let go of my attack thoughts; I get to let go of my attack thoughts.
In the simple example, the "how to" is obvious. Just do it...go visit, go walk the dog. But letting go of attack thoughts? That requires a change of mind, which if we've been paying attention, we've learned we cannot do with our unaided will. This is likely where "got to" forms an eddy in our ego-victory thoughts, and they spiral downward, leaving us feeling helpless, guilty, angry...all the while hanging on to "got to."
Just change that one word, "got," to "get," and our ego-powered mind gives over, possibly by just an inch, to our God-powered heart. An inch of giving over, gets a mile of inspiration...and we're heading in the right direction.
Which does not mean that we are now totally free and clear...no. It means that we are heading in the right direction! With the rest of the journey being our doing our spiritual disciplines daily in order to remain open to God's permission to live at peace. Our ego does not need daily discipline...it is self-powered. It only needs us to forget our daily spiritual disciplines...then it's back in control again.
The surest way to remember that we get to...anything...is to remember to love and laugh...with everything.
Thank you.
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