“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; The courage to change the things I can; And the wisdom to know the difference.”
~ The Serenity Prayer, by Reinhold Niebuhr ~
As long as we see challenges as “it is what it is”, with a defeatist attitude – as if there’s nothing that can be done about the situation at hand, there is a mental equivalent established, or a picture in our mind’s eye that, when unchecked becomes the very essence of our experience. Emma Curtis Hopkins, a 19th-century mystic, said it this way: “That thou seest, that thou beest.”
Let’s stop affirming our ‘yeah, that’s right,’ and, ‘ain’t it awful,’ so quickly. Let’s stop buying into ideas and concepts without considering the far-reaching implications of our agreements. There’s a difference between having compassion for another as they move through challenges and related feelings, and quite another when out of sympathy, to claim mutual ownership of those emotions.
The Power for Good, which is the inherent nature of every living being, is activated by the agreements, feelings, and acceptance we have embraced about the people, places, and things we encounter in our day-to-day lives. When we react negatively to the ever-changing nature of life, be it in the realm of health, wealth, relationships, creativity, or whatever has shifted from the norm, the intensity of our feelings may, inadvertently, perpetuate that which, otherwise, has the potential to be healed.
On the other hand, when we have the presence of mind to respond to the Changeless Nature of Spirit, that is ever present, with the keen awareness of the underlying principles of Love, Peace, Harmony, Wholeness, Abundance, Beauty, and Joy, there is a mental equivalent established, or a picture in our mind’s eye that the Power for Good, responds by corresponding with the image we have embodied.
This does not imply that we deny the sense of pain, disappointment, loss, etc. that is part of the human experience. Jesus, the great mystic acknowledged, “In this world you will have trouble. … But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Yes, there may be a process of moving through troublesome times; however, there is never a need for settling for troublesome times.
Just as the proverbial ‘spilt milk’ will never go back into the glass; nonetheless, it is not a hopeless, helpless situation. After all, we can always clean up the floor, pour more milk into the glass, and begin again. After all, the Power for Good, God, helps those who help themselves.
We show deep compassion for another and ourselves when we affirm the absolute truth regardless of what is showing up in the world. The Truth is what it is, all the time. It does not change from person to person, nor does it depend upon circumstances. Staying in this consciousness requires daily practice. In so doing it is revealed what is ours to do that contributes to a world that works for everyone.
“Today I affirm that I overcome any challenge in the physical world by keeping my mind on the Good.”
~ Judy Hilley~
StillPoint 