Responsibility, Guilt, and Devotion

“We can serve our weakness, or
we can serve our purpose.”

- Francesca Cabrini

I

The line between responsibility and guilt can become blurred.

An enlarged sense of responsibility can become obstructive, even paralyzing guilt.

Should I “fix” or “undo” the past, do more, move faster, solve this problem, solve their problem?

II

Perhaps, a clarifying question: What is life asking of me?

Specifically, what is my intuition calling me toward?

If what I am about to do removes my guilt, even gives me satisfaction, and deprives me of my purpose, whom have I served?

III

“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and
from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”

- Luke 12:48

The “demand” on who “has been given much” may be to do less.

Rather than do more to feel productive, accomplished, or proud, what may be demanded of us is to let go.

To serve our purpose, instead of our ego.

To do the thing, rather than every thing.

IV

And perhaps, when “entrusted with much,” we may also be asked to develop our consciousness (awareness), honesty with ourselves, and surrender.

To be aware when we extend our sense of responsibility to an extreme. Honesty with ourselves, that when we feel the impulse to act, even nobly, it may be another’s responsibility. And, with awareness and honesty, faithfully surrender to the path illuminated by our intuition.

To understand we are asked to serve our Divine purpose, rather than a misguided sense of responsibility.

V

There are costs to serving our Divine purpose:

• Negligence - With clarity of purpose, we may become undistractable. We may ignore important, necessary things (self-care, maintaining things).

• Imbalance - Our life may become imbalanced. And, normal for us.

• Misunderstanding - Our decisions may be misunderstood. And perhaps, in those circumstances, our responsibility is to offer compassion, rather than rationalization.

May we navigate these costs with self-compassion, in a manner that is true for us.

And, as we devote ourselves to our Divine purpose, may we be extended patience, forgiveness, and grace by whom love us.