Man is a faithful animal, but what does he put his faith in?
Faith means that in spite of the situation you are in and the doubts you are thinking, and the fears you harbor, you have a belief that there is a bigger thing going on. I want to energize this some more because without faith, there is only the current reality which usually means it lacks something. Health, wealth, happiness, enlightenment, freedom from fear, maybe it just isn’t there right now.
The desire for something not seen is important because if you never desired a different experience, you would stay where you are right now, and your current reality may not be satisfying you. It all depends upon your perception of where you find yourself. And if that is okay with you, you have no more need to expand or grow, then great. But if you do want to experience more joy, more love and more freedom of mind, then you have to be willing to have faith that it is possible.
Yet is faith only a wish for a future outcome? When Jesus healed the woman who touched his garment, he said, “by your faith are you healed”. It seems to me he was praising her for believing in him and in his God-given power of healing. Faith healing is a powerful thing and happens all the time. It could happen at any moment, even to you! The fact is that she believed it was possible, certain even, so she was healed.
Faith is a belief in something possible that is not currently in your experience. It is the idea that first of all, you don’t see everything, you’re little eyes are myopic and your ears don’t hear the truth, they are distracted by the sounds of the world. So you don’t have the big picture, but you may have faith that there is a divine plan, that everything is possible, that miracles are possible.
All possibilities means that you have all power to decide what you want, and if you believe it, and have total faith in it, it has to occur. Why? Because you are a creator. You have the power to decide what you want to experience. Nothing can deny you, except what? You’re own disbelief, your own doubt. It kills faith and it kills your dream of awakening to perfect peace and happiness, if you don’t believe that it is possible.
No one can stop you from thinking thoughts of lack or doubt. Indeed, that is the crux of the problem you have had for a very long time. No one can deny you the thoughts you are making up and you always, always get the result of them every time.
So, faith is important and without it you’re dead, or alone, or suffering some kind of lack. Faith energizes the idea that all possibilities exist, because in God, all things are possible. Your knowing that all is well and your confidence that things are working out and only good can come to you, is a self-fulfilling prophecy.
A happy person brings light and blessings to everyone she meets. An unhappy person brings you down. When someone lacks faith in God or in the idea that something will work out, then there isn’t much hope for them. And of course they get the result, nothing good does come to them. Again, it is a self-fulfilling prophecy.
The thing to remember is that the power of your mind is always presenting you with the outcome of the thoughts you are thinking. Period. You always can decide to see it differently because you do have all power to change your mind and therefore your experience.
So faith in God, in goodness, in love and in the fact that there are light beings all around you encouraging you to make the choice for more love, for forgiveness, for healing, for giving to others, for putting their happiness before yours, is required. The requirement is that you be willing to entertain the possibility of a divine plan, which means you do get to have and be all that you desire. Because you already are, whether you know it or not.
But if you still want something, be clear about your desire, think about it, focus on it, and well, even if it doesn’t happen right away, don’t give up! Happiness doesn’t come from doubt or disappointment.
It will come after you have released all your doubt, all your resistance to these good experiences coming to you and to your friends too. Faith is knowing it is possible for only good to come and expecting the miracle, the correction of falsity, of your doubt. It is also about not knowing how and not worrying about the specifics of the outcome, and still being willing to allow it to occur. Simply accept that God has a better plan than you. Accept your part in His plan and take no other. And stop trying to tell Him how to make it happen. When I simply let God show me what I am to do today, where I am to go, what I am to say and to whom, I am free. Life simply unfolds perfectly without my resistance. So, even if you are in pain, don’t resist it. Just be there, be present and surrender.
Faith in God, the Creator of the Universe, at the very least, will bring you hope rather than doubt. It feels better in the moment that you think: I know it’s possible. I don’t know how it will work out, but I believe it will. Get excited about it! Your happiness is coming to you right now in ways you can’t even imagine.
When I think I am not where I want to be, I suffer. When I accept that its all perfect and I am in the right place at the right time, I feel great! Everything is working out in spite of me. Happiness is not earned, it is recognized and accepted. You could be happy right now if you would just decide to be, even if you’re depressed, be totally depressed. Allow it to bring you to the bottom, the crux of the problem, which is you.
Be grateful that it already did work out. See it, feel it, allow yourself to revel in the idea. The fix is in. The fact is that you are whole and perfect as God created you. All your pitiful doubts and denial ever did was keep you in fear. Haven’t you had enough? It is exhausting to be in competition with God, especially since God has already saved you from your dream of death. When will you accept it? When will you awaken to the idea that it is accomplished?
The Course is very clear on this, that your whole problem is that you never question the reality of your problem. You insist on it and never experience that it has already been resolved for you. Have faith, faith that it is possible because if you did, just for an instant, you would be free.
“Only say the word, and I will be healed!”
Blessings,
Monica