By Carmen Rich Zappi —
Imagination is the true magic carpet. — Norman Vincent Peale.
January comes with an overarching theme to close the door on the past and open it again to the future of our dreams. This New Year I invite you to make 2018 a year of courageously imagining the life you really want to live. Set some goals, but not small, safe goals you believe you can easily achieve. Instead, allow your imagination to run wild and then set some goals for fulfilling a dream you know you cannot possibly achieve without God’s help. You can only experience what you first imagine.
American filmmaker, George Lucas, who created Star Wars and was a co-creator of the Indiana Jones series, spoke to the power of imagination when he said, “You can’t do it unless you can imagine it.” You can’t fulfill your desires unless you first imagine them being fulfilled.
The spiritual gift of imagination gives us the ability to shape thoughts, form mental images and visualize what we want to be, to do or to experience. It can be used to visualize a little of what we want, a lot of what we want or something we don’t want at all. We can imagine life is difficult and that our dreams are beyond reach, or we can imagine life is graceful and achievement of previously impossible goals is easy. However we envision it, the gift of imagination will help make it so through the Law of Mind Action: thoughts consistently held in mind produce after their kind.
This may seem illogical, but it is true nonetheless. Imagination has no regard for what has been or what seems possible to our limited perspective. It just gives focus and energy to what we consistently mentally visualize and looks for a way to express it. The great physicist, Albert Einstein said, “Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.” Imagination takes us beyond the limitations of logic and into the unlimited field of possibilities we know as the Christ consciousness.
Jesus said this, “For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” (Matt. 19:26, NRSV) In other words, of your human self and your limited logical view, achieving your greatest goal is impossible. But, don’t let that make you believe God cannot bring forth the things you imagine. God can make possible through you what seems quite illogical, unlikely and even impossible to your limited perceptions. For with God all things are possible.
Intentionally and consistently holding a mental image of what you want to be, do or have aligns you with the Divine Flow and opens the door to the possibilities of God for your life. It makes you available to becoming, doing and experiencing the seemingly impossible.
How do you want to experience 2018? What would you imagine for yourself, your church community or for the world, if you were to imagine beyond your logic and your previous boundaries? Are you ready to boldly imagine accomplishing what is absolutely impossible for you to do by yourself? Are you willing to turn your dreams and visions over to the illogical power of God and to let God work through you to do the impossible?
I see you with courage to let your imagination create a larger life for you. I see you with the courage to imagine the world as a place that works for all. I see you confident that what you imagine is becoming a reality through the miracle working power of God.
Join us at UDB as we courageously imagine and co-create with God a life of greater good for our selves, our church community, and the world.
Let’s make 2018 the best year yet!