“There’s only one presence and one power: God the Good, the Omnipotent!”
As a Unity student, I know this is TRUTH.
But to ignore the “other “ forces that seek to disrupt the flow of life is to be in total denial and reckless! There are negative forces at work---continuously---in our lives. This is also truth. But the difference with TRUTH and truth is that only ONE is absolute. Knowing this difference is the key to remaining steadfast even when cast into the “eye of the storm” (s) in life.
I grew along the spiritual path, wanting to believe only in TRUTH. As a new Unity student, I was able to stay true to this belief and life unfolded beautifully for me. Then, a phenomenon started: the steeper my climb along the spiritual path, the more determined I became committed to climb even higher and go deeper, the more “battles” I had to fight ---constantly---along the way.
When I gave in to these "forces," I knew I was going against TRUTH. It is then that only prayer and meditation pulled me out of the grasps of this “evil.”
I lived to fight another day!
Just when I thought I’d reached another spiritual plateau...more "forces" erupted...to challenge me.
I could not believe this! How many battles do we have to fight in one lifetime, I wondered?
Then, a curious thing began to happen.
When I truly held to TRUTH...no matter what the circumstances, no matter how fierce the storm...I always came out victorious and stronger for the wear!
Holding to TRUTH is a difficult, difficult thing to do, when life all around you would suggest that you are in denial of the battle waging against you. Things happen outside you that make absolutely NO sense; you are suspended in a surreal state. I described this as being in “Twilight Zone.” But it is in those times that you must hold on with a tighter rein and never, ever let go of TRUTH!
For the battles that we fight in life ...the seeming “evil” that we have to overcome...truly have NO power. Those forces of negativity arise precisely because of our faltering belief in TRUTH.
You see the "evil forces" are: fear, anger, disbelief, worry, guilt, impatience, hatred, stress, or any condition that would seem to challenge the omnipotence and omnipresence of God in our lives. They can be forces coming at us from the outside, or from within our own soul! Sometimes, so "dark” are these "forces" that at one time, the Catholic Church used to perform exorcisms.
These "forces" want us to give in and give up! If there is a “Satan,” these "forces" are it! This was the "force" at work in the life of Job!
Like Job discovered, they are all “forces” of the mind. So, if we give them “power” in our minds, then they would have power! But if we see them as arising only to challenge TRUTH as we know it, then we will see these very "forces" wither away and die!
I say this...because it is the absolute TRUTH!
The only thing that has power over you in your life is that to which you give power!
I know this because I’ve lived it and... almost...gave in.
I remember vividly the day I thought I’d fought one battle too many. So, I quickly told God to “Let Go of me...just let ‘it’ win for now.”
“I’ll be back,” I said to God. “Just give my soul a rest for a while. I’m weary.”
Just in that moment of defeat...I felt the LOVE...of TRUTH...of God...take over!
I fought back...hard!
I found the strength in me that had been dormant for a few weary days rising up to strike back. I became determined to survive...to not give in... to not give up... believing in TRUTH! I knew that “it” was hoping to get me in its ugly grasp...and was waiting...to snap shut its mouth on me.
That’s when I rose up...from within.
In that moment of triumph, I sang the first song I’d ever heard at Unity:
“I am free...I am unlimited...there are no chains that bind me.
I am free...I am unlimited...right now...right now!”
I found energy that I thought was long depleted, as I headed out the door.
I turned on the car radio to Lionel Richie’s voice. It took me a while to register the lyrics of the song, so powerful were they in that moment in time:
“Are you feeling down, and lonely.
Feeling like you can't go on.
Just remember love will find a way.
Tell me are you going through changes.
Time seems like it's passing by.
Just believe that love will find a way.
I see the tears you cry.
I see the pain that's in your eyes.
So many times you were so lonely.
And no one seemed to care.
But if your hopes, for your tomorrows.
Are drowning in your sorrows.
Know your heart will show you the way.
Are you trying to find a beginning.
Or something just to hold on to.
Always know that love will find a way.
Is it hard this life you're living?
Does the world seem so unkind?
Don't you worry, love will find a way.
Some say we've lost, our way.
Some say the world has gone astray.
But if you know where you're going,
there's nothing you can't do...
'cause problems will come...
and they will leave you.
The world will try to deceive you.
But the truth will always be in your soul!”
Wow! Was God not talking to me!? Until then, I never realized that Lionel Richie was singing a spiritual song!
Most every religion or teaching talks about not giving in to the negatives...about having faith. We see this in Christian Science’s entire focus only on “God, the Good,” with anything else being “error thought.” Mormonism, too, focuses only on God, and on absolute faith. And there are so many others...speaking TRUTH!
“God did not give us a spirit of fear...but of Power and Love and of a Sound Mind!”:2 Timothy 1:7
“Oh help, thou, my unbelief!”: Mark 9:24
“The battle is not yours but God’s!”: 2 Chronicles 20: 15
“Stand ye still and see the salvation of the Lord!”: Exodus 14:13; 2 Chronicles 20:17
If you’re ever tempted to give in and give up...to fear, anger, despair, hopelessness, worry, guilt...challenges or darkness of any kind...
...always try to remember these words...as they point only to TRUTH...the absolute:
Love (God) always will find a way! The truth will always be in your soul!
Namaste’
Che’
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