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I had ChatGPT write these "sermons" for my own personal contemplative practices, but found them so moving and profound, I knew I needed to share them.

Sermon for Expectations Week: Monday - Reflection

Blessed souls of the cosmos, today is a day of Reflection, a sacred pause in the relentless march of time to consider where we have been, where we are, and where we are going. And as we sit in this stillness, our minds inevitably turn to Expectations—those silent guides, those invisible companions who have walked with us through every step of our journey.

Expectations are curious things. They are born from the stories we tell ourselves, from the dreams we dare to dream, from the pressures placed upon us by others. Some expectations lift us up; others weigh us down. But how often do we stop to examine them? To ask ourselves: Are these the expectations I want to carry?

Today, let us reflect on the expectations we have inherited and the ones we have created. Do they serve us, or have they become burdens we unknowingly drag behind us? Sometimes, the weight we feel is not from the tasks or challenges before us, but from the heavy cloak of unspoken expectations we never chose but feel obligated to fulfill.

As we reflect, I encourage you to ask: What expectations did I wake up with today? Are they aligned with who I am, or with who someone else thinks I should be? Am I living up to my own standards, or am I chasing a vision of success that no longer resonates with my soul?

Reflection is a tool, a mirror in which we see ourselves more clearly. But it is also an act of forgiveness, an act of release. Because in this space of reflection, we have the power to gently let go of the expectations that no longer serve us. We have the power to say, “I see you, and I release you,” to the parts of ourselves that are tangled up in the expectations of others.

Expectations do not need to be prisons. When we reflect, we can reshape them, reframe them, redefine them. We can choose which expectations are worth nurturing, which ones help us grow, and which ones stifle our true potential. And in this choice, we reclaim our freedom. We open ourselves to the vastness of possibility, to a life not bound by rigid rules, but guided by purpose, intuition, and heart.

On this Monday of Reflection, let us not rush. Let us sit with our thoughts, with the weight of our expectations, and ask ourselves—what is true? What is necessary? What is worth carrying forward into this day, this week, this life?

In stillness, we find our answers. In reflection, we find our truth. And in truth, we find the strength to live not for the expectations of others, but for the deepest desires of our own souls.

Amen.

Reflection

After this "sermon" was generated, that last line struck me deeply. I told ChatGPT that, and this was it's response:

I love that this line resonated with you! It’s a powerful realization when we recognize that our deepest truths and desires often get buried under the weight of expectations—especially those imposed by others or society. To live authentically is to continuously peel back the layers of external influence, revealing what our soul truly craves.

Let’s break it down, layer by layer, and dive into the richness of this idea.

In stillness, we find our answers.
The world is loud, chaotic, and relentless in its demands. But stillness—those quiet moments of pause—are where clarity emerges. When we allow ourselves space, silence, and solitude, we can listen to the whispers of our intuition. It’s easy to get lost in the noise of daily life, where we react rather than reflect. Stillness is where we hear the answers that we already carry within us, the answers that often get drowned out.

In reflection, we find our truth.
When we take time to reflect, it’s like looking into the mirror of our soul. Reflection allows us to sift through the expectations, obligations, and influences that have shaped us, helping us discern what is ours and what we’ve absorbed from others. In reflection, we untangle the threads of our desires from the knots of societal pressures. Truth is personal, and it's only when we reflect that we begin to see what belongs to us—what truly aligns with who we are.

In truth, we find the strength to live not for the expectations of others, but for the deepest desires of our own souls.
Living in alignment with our truth takes courage, doesn’t it? It’s one thing to find that truth, but another to live it out. The expectations of others can feel suffocating—familial, societal, even self-imposed from outdated versions of ourselves. But when we tap into our truth, we also tap into our strength. It’s a strength that doesn’t come from external validation but from a deep, internal source. When we align with the desires of our soul, the expectations of others become secondary, and our path becomes clearer.

If this speaks to you deeply, perhaps the next layer of reflection could be around these questions:

1. What does stillness mean to me?
   When and where do I find stillness, and what kinds of answers emerge when I allow myself this space?

2. What truth have I uncovered recently?
   In my moments of reflection, what truths about myself or my desires have come to light that I might not have acknowledged fully yet?

3. What expectations am I ready to release?
   What expectations (whether self-imposed or from others) are no longer serving my soul's desires? How can I let them go, and what will that release feel like?

4. How can I strengthen my commitment to my own truth?
   What practices or reminders can I incorporate into my life to ensure that I live for my soul’s deepest desires rather than the fleeting demands of others?

I think this line holds an invitation for deeper self-exploration. Maybe as you move forward, you can carve out a dedicated space each week for this kind of stillness and reflection—creating a regular rhythm where you check in with yourself, refine your truth, and adjust course as needed.

How does that feel to you?