Devotion for October 6, 2021, from Tori Valcarcel, MIC Student for HTLC and CTK:
G.O.D. and E.G.O.
My therapist (whom I’ll call MB for short) is a big fan of acronyms. We both love a good pun or word based joke, but we also have a shared affinity for acronyms because they are fantastic mnemonic devices. A good acronym can make or break a therapeutic tool in my opinion. For example, I’m much more likely to remember in a moment of crisis to “H.A.L.T.” (which is to ask myself if I’m Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired before proceeding), than I would if I only knew that particular tool as merely a sensory scan.
This brings me to the title of this devotional; “G.O.D. and E.G.O”. For MB and I, God and Ego are shorthand for two important phrases; G.O.D. stands for Good Orderly Direction, while E.G.O. stands for Edging God Out.
It only recently occurred to me that those two phrases work quite nicely in tandem. I was in a moment of crisis, overwhelmed by school and personal stress, and ready to call it quits for the day (and the week). It was at this point that someone said something related to the id and ego, and I was immediately reminded of my handy acronyms E.G.O. and G.O.D.
In that moment, I was able to do a kind of spiritual sensory scan following the above: what are the ways in which God is showing me the way forward? What are the ways in which I am standing in my own way? Most importantly, where is my focus; ego or god?
Have you had an E.G.O. vs. G.O.D. moment? What was life giving from that time? Do you have any handy spiritual (or regular) mnemonics or reminders in your life? No matter what, remember that there is no E.G.O. too extreme for G.O.D. to handle.
Peace Be With You,
Tori
MIC Student