The Law of Choice and Accountability

       The third Law of Conscious Creation is the Law of Choice and Accountability. It states 'We are solely responsible for the results in our lives. Regardless of outside influences or circumstances, we can always choose what we think and what we do, and we are accountable for the results that we create because of it. While we cannot always control what happens to us, we can choose how we perceive it, and how we respond. The more accountability we take for our reality the greater power we have to change it. (This comes from a Limitless booklet)." This can be hard one because it means that we can't have excuses or blame external circumstances for our attitude. We are solely responsible for how we respond to any given situation. It is a lot easier to blame others or circumstances for the way we act but the choice is ours. No one can control our thoughts. I have actually done a bit of research on this lately and hope to share a bit of what I have learned. 

      Viktor Frankl was a Jewish psychiatrist that spent three years in a concentration camp in the most inhuman and unimaginable circumstances. After his experience in the Nazi concentration camps he published 'Man's Search for Meaning' In it he asks: "Do the prisoners' reactions to the singular world of the concentration camp prove that man cannot escape the influence of his surroundings? Does man have no choice of action in the face of such circumstances?' He then answers his own question: "We can answer these question from experience as well as on principle. The experiences of camp life show that man does have a choice of action. There were enough examples, often of a heroic nature, which proved that apathy could be overcome, irritability suppressed. Man can preserve a vestige of spiritual freedom, of independence of mind, even in such terrible conditions of psychic and physical stress.
     We who lived in the concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken away from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms -- to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way."

           When I read that for the first time, it really hit me with impact and force, that way I act and the thoughts I think are mine! I really don't even know how to express my feelings on this. 

            I am a Christian and belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I am going to discuss some scriptures that I have studied that have aided me in my learning of Choice and Accountability, and how that correlates with my divine purpose as a daughter of God. Because we have the the power to choose there is always two choices, in essence good and bad. In 2 Nephi 2: 16 it says: "Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he could act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other." Later in verse 27 it says:"Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself."  In Doctrine and Covenants 29: 39 it says "And it must need be that the devil should temp the children of men, or they could not be agents unto themselves' for if they never should have bitter they could not know the sweet." In Joshua 24:15 he makes the choice "that as for me and myself we will serve the Lord." Are we always going to make the right choice in every circumstance? No, we aren't. We are imperfect humans and prone to make mistakes. Christ can make up the difference that we lack and over time, line upon line (2 Nephi 28:30), by small and simple means(Alma 37:6, D&C 64:33), we have the power to learn and overcome our natural man. Through diligence, persistence, patience, long-suffering, and hard work we can learn and train ourselves to chose the way that is right. Is is going to be easy? No! but it will be worth it! Even in the latest General Conference, April 2016, Prophet Thomas S. Monson gave a talk called Choices and said: "May we maintain the courage to defy the consensus. May we ever choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong."

           I feel that I have barely hit the surface on what I have been learning, I have read several talks on this, and a couple books. I have so much more to learn, but thus far it has been an interesting, fun, learning, and spiritual journey. If you have any comments, thoughts, or questions I would love to hear them! I am always learning and others perspectives are interesting to me.  If you want more information about 'Limitless' or would like to go to one let me know and I would love to talk to you!  

Law #1 The Law of Attraction

Law #2 The Law of Purpose