【為何神說「我給你們的只有天使和奇蹟」?】
為了經驗成功的狂喜,失敗的幻覺是必要的。如果你每件事都「成功」(succeed),那麼你就無法體驗到後繼的任何事(succeeding at nothing)。你只會感覺到你在做你所做的事,但你不會知道它是成功的,也無法經驗「你是誰」的神奇與榮耀,因為沒有你可在其中注意到那些的情境脈絡場。
如果你第一次嘗試就達陣(touchdown 註:觸地得分,美式足球用言語),當然,你可能非常欣喜。然而,如果你每次傳球都達陣,那你很快就會失去得分的興奮感。它會變得沒有意義。因為就只會有達陣的傳球,而你傳的球就不再有意思和意義了。
生命的一切都是周而復始的(All of life moves in cycles.)。而就是這些周而復始的循環給了生命意義。
事實上,並沒有所謂的「失敗」這回事。只有成功,以它的多重面向在顯現。也沒有所謂“非神”的東西這回事。只有神,以祂多重的面向在顯現。
你瞭解那相似處了嗎?明白那模式了嗎?
看出這簡單的道理將改變一切。當你清楚了這一點時,你會馬上湧現感激和驚訝。感激你人生中的有的「失敗」,而驚訝於自己竟花了這麼久才認識到你已被賦予的珍貴寶藏。
你會終於瞭解,真的「除了天使,我沒有帶給你們別的」,以及「除了奇蹟,我沒有送給你們別的」。
而在這瞭解的瞬間,你將明白:你從沒有未能成功過。(You never fail to succeed.)
摘自《與神合一》第15章
Yet the Illusion of Failure is necessary in order to experience the exhilaration of success. If you "succeed" at everything, then you will experience succeeding at nothing. You will simply feel that you are doing what you are doing, but you will not know it as success, nor experience the wonder and the glory of Who You Are, because there would be no contextual field within which to notice that.
If you throw a touchdown pass on the first attempt, that may be exhilarating, for sure. Yet if you throw a touchdown pass on every attempt, you would soon lose the excitement of it. It would mean nothing. There would be nothing but touchdown passes, and throwing them would be pointless, meaningless.
All of life moves in cycles. And it is these cycles that give meaning to life.
In fact, there is no such thing as failure. There is only success, manifesting in its many aspects. There is also no such thing as that which is not God. There is only God, manifesting in Its many aspects.
Do you see the parallel? Do you see the model?
This simple seeing changes everything. When this is clear to you, you will be immediately struck with gratitude and wonder. Gratitude for all of the "failures" of your life, and wonder that it took so long to recognize the treasures that you have been given.
You will understand at last that truly "I have brought you nothing but angels," and "I have given you nothing but miracles."
In the moment of this understanding, you will know that you never fail to succeed. Always remember that.
You never fail to succeed.