We are told that we must have faith. In our own co-founders' lessons, we are actually told that we already have all the faith that we need. Again, it sounds good on Sundays and when we are studying, but it can feel like there is a pretty huge gap between the faith that moves mountains and whatever it is that we might feel when we see the discord and inharmony being expressed in the world.

 

On our spiritual journey, we are called to live our lives as though we believe. We are told, repeatedly, that we must go within, know the Truth, and in that knowing, we will be set free from the discord, the inharmony, and the appearances of chaos and catastrophe. One of the tools that helps us to do that is willingness. An attitude of willingness says, "I don't actually know how all of this works. I don't actually see much evidence of the peace and freedom that we are promised in evidence in the world today. But there is Something in me that knows Truth, and I am willing to believe that Truth."

 

Once we make that declaration of willingness, one of the first things we must be willing to do is trust. The very fist thing we must learn to trust is our ability to distinguish the voice of our own ego from the Voice of Knowing. We learn to do this through meditation and prayer. There is an intuitive "rightness" in the nudging of Truth. When guidance is truly of Spirit, it does not harm anyone. Actions will benefit all parties concerned. Wisdom does not necessarily shout at us, but whispers a gentle, "yes...", "no...", "not yet..."

 

Having learned to trust our ability to recognize Truth, we again engage our willingness. When we receive True Guidance, we act upon it, even when we do not really want to. "Nevertheless, I am willing." (Again, I am thankful to Maria Nemeth's book, Mastering Life's Energies" for this simple, effective mantra). Then, being willing to take that next step into the unknown, we bring our ability to trust once again to the forefront of our awareness. We trust that, having been willing to listen, we heard. That, having heard, it is safe to trust.

 

This cycle of willingness and trust has another name: Faith. We learn that we are safe. We learn that we are guided. We know that, despite outer appearances, God is Love, and that within us each is the potential to unlock another piece of the puzzle that will allow Peace On Earth to unfold and show Itself as Good Will Toward All. We are the Love that God is. We are each the Christ in potential and in Truth. As we step out in willingness and trust to be and to do that which we are each uniquely called for, that willingness and trust manifests itself in us as greater and greater Faith. We may not be able to explain how, exactly, that mountain will move from here to there, but somewhere deep within us, we know that Jesus is right. The mountain will be moved. Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward All is possible. In Faith, we know it is already here, within each us of us, just waiting to be expressed through the birth of our awareness of the Christ that we already are.

San Diego, CA

As you read this, I am very blessed to be enjoying my annual time of physical, mental and spiritual renewal, watching the ocean in the company of my most-wonderful husband, a flourishing population of pelicans, a healthy pod of dolphins, the occasional sea lion and sea otter, and the ever-present cacophony of seagulls claiming their good from the Universe. As I've mentioned before, my own personal metaphor for God is the incredible vastness of the ocean: tides flowing in, tides flowing out, waves crashing and being re-absorbed, the infinite grains of sand along the beach, and the always-consistent / never-the-same / completely reliable ongoing-ness that is this amazing Universe.

 

I'll be checking in with you by email each week during Advent, and I'll be back with you at church to celebrate Christmas Eve. As always and ever, you have my gratitude for your willingness to walk this Path.  

 

Blessings...Nita  

 

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