I’ve been fully acknowledging lately that of myself I often struggle to achieve the ideals I aspire to live. The familiar words come to mind that “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak”. Still, I am reminded that the strength of God is given me, is in me and is mine. The flesh of me is temporary and is an appearance. Spirit is what I am. I am eternal.
Recently, I’ve found myself looking at the world and saying out loud, “This is not the world I want”. This is so in aspects of how I personally still live, and it is what I think and feel when I look upon what is going on in our country and in the world. I’ve said it again and again over the recent months. I've been saying it for quite a while. I’ve heard it expressed in different ways by many of you.
Personal suffering and what we term “natural disasters” are epidemic. Many of us recognize this as a call for each of us to choose differently and to choose to live the ideals that reflect the love of God. I realize that if I judge, lack peace of mind, withhold love, get stuck in negativity and partake in gossip-type of behavior – be entertained by criticism of others, I am a part of the problem. In this case, the world can only show up as chaotic and insane, without harmony and with those who unfairly and without compassion yield power over others. The world can only witness to the thoughts we hold in our minds. OK, I am still a part of the problem. But I no longer need choose to be. I can be part of the solution; part of the response that brings the change I want – the change for which we are collectively striving.
Let me remember the strength of God and call upon it to enable my choice to love and to dwell mentally only upon divine truth. Let us remember the strength of God and be a light unto the world.
It’s a choice to live in goodness -- to express good, kindness and a spirit of help to others. We can have a spirit of goodwill and compassion for ourselves as well. And when we stop blocking the light with our unloving thoughts and behaviors we will behold the world God created in place of this one that reflects such a variety of conflicting thoughts, motivations and behaviors.
Together, as a prayer, and in the awareness of one another, call upon the name of God – use the name you prefer. We know minds joined, invoking the will of God has all power. Emmet Fox (Around the Year with Emmet Fox; Day 129) speaks of prayer like this:
“The fact is that seeing the Presence of God where the trouble seems to be does not merely give us courage to meet the trouble; it changes the trouble into harmony.
Prayer heals the body by changing the tissues, and it does this by first changing the mind which forms them. Prayer brings man his salvation by changing his nature fundamentally; not by making the best of him as he is. The body, the environment, the universe itself, is plastic to our thought; and it always reflects our sincere belief.”
Have a blessed day, Shiranda
