Service, Not Sacrifice, Is Essential To Abundance

As an avid student of Ayn Rand's philosophy as outlined in her famous book,

Atlas Shrugged

, I am forced to consider the idea of sacrifice. As a Christian, I accept that Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice to pay for my salvation. The night before his crucifixion, he washed his disciples' feet and instructed them to be servants of each other. To me the basic premise of both sacrifice and service is willingness.

When one is not free to choose whether to serve or sacrifice something, then that is slavery. And slavery comes from many places. It can come from people, governments and even from our thoughts. However, most slaves become so because because they willingly allow this condition to happen.

So to be in service is a good thing. It is to the degree that we offer service to others that we are rewarded for our efforts. As human beings, we were created for increase, both personal and corporate. The idea that we are here only to give and never to receive is irrational. So being forced to sacrifice something to benefit another is slavery.

If I can inspire one other person to break loose of any kind of enslavement, then I am successful. I look for ways to be of service in all areas of my life. However, when I feel I am being forced to sacrifice something against my will, I become understandably resistant. It is service, not sacrifice, that is essential to abundance and a fuller life. I invite everyone to meditate on that thought today.

Sandra Hayes
803-391-7577

Spiritual Health Reflects True Abundance

The third component of health is as vitally important as the first two. Spiritual health is a little more difficult to define and describe than either physical or mental. There are physicians and other practitioners for these but how do you define and receive treatment for spiritual health? Some people are actually afraid to discuss or consider how important our spiritual well-being actually is.

In a secular world that is very focused on political correctness, poeple are very wary of expressing beliefs in the Divine. We have become so conditioned not to offend anyone, that we are no longer sure if it is actually okay to believe in a Divine Creator who loves us and wants to have a relationship with us. I'm sure my upbringing has a lot to do with it, but I have no doubts that each of us was divinely planned and created. How could someone as wonderful and complex as humans, animals, plants or any part of creation, have appeared accidentally?

So spiritual health is connecting with the Divine being that created us, inspires us, and desires a connection with us and other created beings. The first step to spiritual health is getting quiet and letting your subconscious mind connect the spiritual realm with your conscious physical realm. This exercise is known as meditation or prayer. Too often people think prayer is speaking to our creator when it is also being quiet and listening for a spiritual message. This is so important for getting to the essence of our being. This is where we connect with our passions and purpose.

Just like physical and mental illnesses have symptoms, so does spiritual illness. In the Christian tradition, which is where my beliefs center, we often refer to the fruits of the spirit. These "fruits" are very powerful emotions which I hear people describe often. Having them confers spiritual health while lacking any of them leaves one spiritually empty. These "fruits" are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. "There is no law against such as these." Galatians 5:23

As we end this third component of health, think about how each affects the other. The most important emotion I use to bring about health is gratitude. As Andy Andrews says, "The seeds of depression cannot take root in a grateful heart." So to begin developing health, and especially, spiritual health, write down ten things you are grateful for. Didn't that feel good? Being alive and having air to breathe is a gift. May you find ways to improve your health and live happier more fulfilled each day.

To your abundant health,
Sandra Hayes