Do other people ever “Push your buttons,” and get you upset?
A man was commenting to me about how a relative was very good at pushing his buttons and getting him agitated about different issues. It could be about politics, religion, healthcare, or any number of other issues that tended to provoke heated debate between the two of them about what was right or not right.
In talking with him about how to respond without getting angry, I mentioned to him that God never put any buttons to push on him to begin with. God created him to love, to express love, to be love in action and to always respond with love. He did not need to react with anger and resentment in self-defense of a truth, for truth speaks for itself. It does not need added “heat” from mortal mind to assert its position. In fact, any added heat distracts from the real issue and causes debate to become personal rather than objective.
We all can learn to be button-free. God saves the world, not us. Our job is to reflect God’s presence and leave truth to correct error. We can keep a personal sense of things out of the discussion.
The so-called buttons that people believe they possess, are fictitious. God didn’t make us prone to resent, get angry, upset and agitated. God created us to love, and as we live true to our spiritual identity, we prove, through experience, that no one can take over our thinking and pull us out of our spiritual composure.
In a right state of Mind, the only thing other people can push you to do, is to love more.
Thank you so much for this post, Evan! This reminds me of a practitioner-friend who once told me that sometimes she thinks of herself as of a sponge soaked with love, as she lived in Love and Love was her very life. If someone touched her or pressed her, only love could flow out…
Love that Beatrice! Thanks for sharing.
Ha ha ha! LOVE that image!
And who can attach buttons to a sponge?
Thank you and thank you Evan for this great insight!
Thank you. Graphically descriptive, immediately understandable…I MUST and will apply this definition immediately.
I am so grateful that my friend’s inspiration triggers so many joyful responses and is obviously blessing so many. It certainly continues to do so for me :-).
Oh my goodness … I was feeling really stressed today, trying to pray & heal myself of the physical manifestation of stress. The answer:
“God saves the world, not us. Our job is to reflect God’s presence and leave truth to correct error. We can keep a personal sense of things out of the discussion.
The so-called buttons that people believe they possess, are fictitious. God didn’t make us prone to resent, get angry, upset and agitated. God created us to love, and as we live true to our spiritual identity, we prove, through experience, that no one can take over our thinking and pull us out of our spiritual composure.
In a right state of Mind, the only thing other people can push you to do, is to love more.”
Really loved the share from Beatrice of what her Practitioner-friend told her. “If someone touched her or pressed her, only love could flow out.” Precious <3
Thank you. This is such a helpful clarification that God saves the world, not us. We reflect Him, the only I or Us, as stated in Science and Health. He doesn’t have to keep on saving Himself from an opposite because He is already All, so neither can we be at risk in any way. Wonderful, Thank you.
Wonderful summary, Eleanor!
I don’t know how you manage it, Evan, but your messages are always just what I need at the time!
I do feel irritable or upset at the way someone talks to me, and so must become “button free”, as you advise. I also love the what Beatrice shared – a beautiful way to be!
This is really helpful Evan and exactly what I have been looking to do lately – to respond with love and not to react with anger, and not to let people or issues ‘wind me up’ or ‘push my buttons’. This country seems in turmoil at the moment, especially on the Brexit issue, with each day bringing more and more frustration and turmoil, so to know that only God is in control of every situation and that we have no buttons to be pushed is so helpful. We can rest safe in God, Love’s control and respond only with loving thoughts, leaving everything in Love’s hands to unfold in Love’s way – and be at peace! Amen.
Thank you so much, Evan!!
There is only Love, and we are Love’s reflection. We’re not a Dixie cup that gets upset and spills its little contents. Love is not a puddle that the heat of argument evaporates. Ocean of love, who can spill you? Rushing fountain, who can drain you dry?
Love shines IN our hearts, AS our hearts. Love isn’t the consequence of pleasant behavior. It’s not scared off by rudeness like a flock of startled pigeons. The constriction of tense conversations can’t limit it. The winds of countervailing positions can’t scatter it. Love is here.
Love’s reflection is our true identity. We can’t be pushed around when we’re weightless. We can’t be triggered when we don’t have a handle. We can’t be threatened when we have a secret superpower!
How important a concept this is. It the pathway to grace. Thank you, Evan for this wonderful reminder.
Thank you, Evan:)
What came to me as I was reading this wonderful article and the response from Beatrice was from Mrs. Eddy’s hymn 207….”Wait, and love more for every hate, and fear No ill,- since God is good, and loss is gain.”
When buttons seem to get pushed, it can be very wise to wait- to take a pause before responding and listen for Loves response. We don’t need to fear any ill-will because God is good and like you said, Evan, God didn’t make us with any buttons to push:) So by understanding this a bit better we can lose impatience, the desire to always be right or whatever. I love the ideas that have been shared here today. Thanks to you and all.
Thank you for the reminder to pause and wait, listen for Love’s response.
When we are brutally honest with ourselves, it is clear that more love is needed in many situations we come across during our day. Beatrice, so grateful for what you shared – I will carry the thought
of a “sponge soaked with love so only love can flow out” with me from now on. Evan, simply amazed by the variety of important topics you regularly address and always know what a huge difference it all brings to so many lives. Thank you!! This blog, the contributions and sharing is such a gift of Love!
Exactly! 🙂
Evan listens to his divine Mind, all the time….. a great example
for the rest of us who are workin’ hard at listening to this same Mind, too!
THINK how much God loves us all!!
GO TEAM SPIRITVIEW!
;<))
Evan thank you so much! Just what was coming up for healing for me today!
As much as Evan’s posts often speak exactly to what we need each day, I relish the conversation Evan’s messages evoke from our Viewing Spirit group!!! The images you’ve given are so easy to hang on to— I’ll hold on to the Love saturated sponge!!! Truth DOES speak for itself. It’s important to declare, know, that those who we project as pushing our buttons hear Truth. Love to you all
I loved this timely thought and the many comments above. I had been praying for an answer from God about how to heal a button-pushing devil in my midst and your article today is the answer. How can any so-called “button-pushee” read this article and still be angry. Impossible.
Thank you, Evan. Wonderful post and comments. I’ve been studying and praying with ideas from “The Greatest Thing in the World” by Henry Drummond, a short little book on Love, I Corinthians. I’ve been praying to be more loving, patient, not getting angry or upset by other’s actions, and this little book has been very helpful. I heard that MBE supposedly said that the author has explained Love so well that she didn’t need to say anything more. Thank you all for your helpful posts.
Thank you, Linda! I’ll be sure to look up Drummond’s book.
I love the ideas in this post about Truth. Truth stands alone as ALL. Truth doesn’t need an inferior, false sense of mind (mortal) to defend it’s position. The Truth is already true. And yes! “God saves the world, not us.”
Someone dear to me says things sometimes that shock me and “push my buttons.” In reality, are they true? No! I am beginning to know that it’s not Mind, God, but mind-error. It’s not my job to police and correct a false sense of mortal mind. Any effort I put into humanly refuting the false ideas, are detracting from my knowing the absolute Truth. I can trust my Father-Mother God to guide his-her children to perfect understanding. I don’t need to do God’s job, what a relief.
Thank you Evan for listening to God, Truth and then expressing and reflecting it to us. Thank you SpiritView readers and commenters for also shining your lights from God.
I learned a vital lesson a few years ago, when I reacted (not respondfed) to somethong my husband had said…and so, whilst utilizing the adrenaline of the moment.. angrily doing the dishes. God spoke to me distinctly.. ie very loudly in my head “There is NO anger in the kingdom!” To which I immediately responded bc of course I do wish to remain in the kingdom…end of anger forever! So grateful He “corrects and governs” just as Mrs Eddy has taught us!
Thanks Beatrice for giving this discussion such a great start for what we can all be, a “sponge soaked with love so only love can flow out”
Excellent as always Evan. Also I value Linda’s comments ‘re. Brexit and the uncertainty that has dominated the UK over past 3 years. We need to look beyond ourselves, our limitations and national borders.
Thank you Evan and everyone for all your wonderful comments – they are so helpful and inspiring.
I’ve just remembered something from years ago that I had forgotten. One day my husband said something that annoyed me considerably, and I didn’t like the feeling of being cross, so I sat down at the kitchen table and prayed for this feeling to be removed. Very quickly I found myself naturally laughing out loud – I then saw how ridiculous the whole thing was, and that was the end of my annoyance.
Thank you Maggie, for the simplicity and beauty of your demonstration. I love how you quietly, but firmly resisted the bad feeling toward your husband until the mesmerism broke and you saw it’s inherent ridiculousness ending in a laugh for discovering it’s unreality. Perfect!
Love this blog. Thanks Evan and all.
funny thing….. i like this post best of all your posts!
Thank you, Evan and all! Here in the US, government politics push my buttons multiple times a day and I know that’s not good. Now I have some good pointers to help me better deal with it.
Love is reflected in perfect love.
A real hit Evan. Thank you for reminding us that we all can learn to be button-free. In particular, these sections of your message are short reminders for me: “God saves the world, not us. Our job is to reflect God’s presence and leave truth to correct error. We can keep a personal sense of things out of the discussion. The so-called buttons that people believe they possess, are fictitious. God didn’t make us prone to resent, get angry, upset and agitated. In a right state of Mind, the only thing other people can push you to do, is to love more.”
Love Beatrice’s comment about the sponge soaked with Love – if someone touched her or pressed her, only love could flow out… Appreciate and learn a lot from all comments. Thank you all.
Dear Evan- all of your posts are timely and healing. I appreciate, learn from, and grow from each one. THIS particular post answered a very long time struggle I’ve faced. A fringe relative seems to aggressively dislike me. Shows contempt over anything I say even if I’m not addressing that individual. Each family event I struggle with not attending but decide not to separate myself from my family. Everyone notices but no one will approach him. So I always say it’s good to see you or something like that and carry on. I always go with uplifted thoughts of love and forgiveness.
But now I think it’s his “dirty laundry” not mine and while I’ll continue to clear my thought I will NOT carry the burden of failure if he chooses to continue.
To be “button-free” is truly freedom! I spoke to a dear practitioner friend years ago when I was in a relationship where my buttons were frequently pushed, and I felt very unhappy about it. She responded with, “Remember, dear, a gentle answer turneth away wrath.” The next time I was ordered to do something in a very harsh way in front of the whole family, I quieted myself down and was able to do what I was told to do, but answer in a loving, jovial way. It was a very big moment of progress for me!
This is such a good comment. I learned to do the same thing over some 30 years. I was always glad that I could respond with love. But it took a lot of prayer, and humility, and supportive prayer and comments from practitioners along the way!
Dear Evan, thank you so very much for today`s post. It is of course immense helpful also for me.
The answer to all button-pressing problems is to love love love. But sometimes it does not seem so easy. Praying about that helps.
Thank you Daphne for your healing experience. That`s what I also have to do sometimes in such situations.
Drummond`s book about Love is very good, read it in former times.
Evan said, God saves the world, not us. I understand, if the world is saved, we are also saved. And we are already saved if we reflect God`s presence and leave truth to correct error, whatever error needs to be conquered.
I love Evan`s truth sentence: “In a right state of Mind, the only thing other people can push you to do, is to love more.” So good!
Am grateful for all your helpful and inspired comments ! 🙂
Hi SpiritView friends, several times I read this post of today. I think in the first time I understood the following sentence of Evan not correct: “God saves the World, not us.”
I had the silly understanding, that God saves the World, but He does not save us His dear children. Meanwhile I think it is meant, that not we save, but only God , Love, the divine Spirit saves the world.
Could perhaps somebody confirm, that my last understanding is correct ? Would be very grateful for it ! Love to all
Hi Uta. Yes my understanding of it is that it is God who saves the world. We do not save the world. I love all your thoughtful and helpful comments. X
How not to let your goat be got?
Beget no goat to get!
Brilliant!
I like the comment that we are not installed with buttons to be pushed.
I find it a great lesson when we react, not respond, when someone says something.It shows me on some level that I agree with what is being said and usually that agreement includes that I am seeing myself as a mortal, two minds in conflict instead of one Mind, and not seeing myself for who I really am, a reflection of Divine Mind. I find that if I do not hold that thought in consciousness I will not react- like one hand clapping-no conflict, it doesn’t touch me. I am happy to root out that erroneous thought.
Thanks for that. I’ve been having problems with that for years. Ironically, I’ve often just frozen when I also had the instinct to fight back.Maybe that’s not such a bad thing.
There have also been a lot of times when I’ve said something and upset the other person when that wasn’t even my intent. Usually, my intent is to try to understand the situation or the subject at hand. And then I’ve been very shocked to find out that the other person was upset. For example, in church, there was this one gal who I tried asking clarifying questions about some of the Church Manual By-Laws to and she got upset at me for doing so. I can see why in one instance but I still don’t understand it for the others. She also seems to blatantly misinterpret my intent all the time and I don’t get it. For example, when I had my membership interview with that church, I brought up various concepts that I’d learned when I first started studying metaphysics (not CS but most of it was very similar), comparing what I learned when I was working on my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, etc. and she later basically accused me of trying to adulterate CS when I was trying to demonstrate my understanding of it by making those comparisons! I don’t even practice any of the other stuff anymore (I have no need to) and I told her and the others that during my interview. I just don’t get it. I know that I’m not exactly demo’ing the Truth of God here but I believe in being honest with myself. I know that in Truth, everyone is a reflection of God and that we are not our conflicts.
I visited another more informal church in my area this last Sunday and have been questioning whether it would be best for me to go there from now on. Upon writing this, I know without a doubt now that it is. Though she’s far from the only reason why. I also do better in more relaxed and informal environments.
Thank you.
Dear Lacy, My heart goes out to you. When we impersonalize the error–realizing that it’s not a person, but just error or mortal mind trying to get us upset, then it is much easier to see that the tension has no basis to exist. MBE has a couple of helpful articles in Miscellaneous Writings: “Taking Offense” p 223, and “Love your enemies” p 8. I have often studied these when bothered by a human relation situation. Both are excellent to help see beyond person to the truth of being. Much love to you.
Excellent Evan, and so true.
Thank you so much.
Daniele.