“The greatest mistake is believing that we are ‘only human’… We are human in expression but divine in creation and limitless in potentiality.” — Eric Butterworth, Discover the Power Within You
Unity philosophy teaches that every person contains a spark of the God — the Christ within — and that through the power of the indwelling Christ we are unlimited in our capacity to overcome the challenges of the world. I believe the teaching and I also know there are times when life can lead us into feeling powerless and helpless. We can slip into “desperate” thinking when we struggle with finances, relationships, health issues or other life challenges. But we need not be one of those described by Thoreau when he said, “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” We actually have within us the power to meet and overcome every challenge.
In his book, Discover the Power Within You, Butterworth points out that many Christian themes are focused on negativity and fear, and on the concept that humans are weak, miserable sinners who are born unworthy of God’s grace due to original sin. Yet Jesus, upon whose life Christianity is modeled, never taught the concept of original sin. His teaching was of original blessing: that we are each created in the image and likeness of God. It is recorded in the New Testament that Jesus said, “Indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:21) and “Truly I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do.” (John 14:12)
Jesus tells us to recognize the spirit of God is within, to believe and to express that inner magnificence, so we can do what he did and even more. The Apostle Paul (Colossians 1:26-27) speaks of our indwelling divinity as “the mystery that has been kept hidden from ages and generations, but now has been revealed to his saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Christ in you is your hope for all good things. It is the power to overcome every challenge and to fulfill every desire — even the ones that seem impossible. Nothing of the world can reduce the power of Christ that resides in your soul. Nothing can alter its ability to express in and through every aspect of your life. To access the Christ within is to live an empowered life.
Access to the Christ is not reserved for a few especially spiritual individuals. It is available to all who will take time to pray — to sit in the silence and go inward to that quiet place where we can feel and experience the divine presence of God within us. Prayer is the first and most important step toward discovering the power within us.
Sitting in the silence clears our minds, opens our hearts and allows the wisdom, inspiration, guidance and goodness of God to flow through us. All the answers we seek can be gained and attained by sitting in the silence and connecting with that amazing power and Spirit.
It is important to consistently practice spending time in the silence to build a habit of prayer. Most of us turn to prayer when things aren’t going well in our lives, but prayer should be a regular practice, if we truly want to empower our lives. The more consistently we pray, the more peaceful we feel. The more we feel the flow of good into our lives. The more we feel grounded in love and connected to God.
Are you willing to spend 10 minutes in the silence three times a day to connect with the power, peace, wisdom and amazing Spirit of God within you? Are you willing to spend just 30 minutes each day to discover the power within you? If so, it will absolutely change your life for Good!
I invite you to join us for World Day of Prayer as part of your prayer practice.
— Rev. Carmen Rich Zappi