Faith & Inner
Struggle
Short Discourses
page 2
Just as any other discipline, our faith NEEDS to be cultivated and nurtured
through practices which exercise and elevate our consciousness. For myself, the
3 most vital things were:
- PRAYER
- MEDITATION
- CONTEMPLATION
Prayer
By regular prayer, I petitioned God for grace to flow to me in a bid to
release me from worldy and mundane thinking. I sought the compassion that would
help me to truly ‘grow up’; for I saw true maturity as spiritual
maturity.
Looking back over many years, I now consider my mind and the way I thought
to have had no real depth, and as such, I would easily fall victim to the ways
of the world. This is a good description of Spiritual Immaturity, and upon
reflection I can see that it is most easily identified by a lack of
discernment. (The use of the word Victim is not necessarily meant to
describe circumstances abounding in suffering, but is used to highlight the
effect of ignorance. Slavery and perhaps bondage to worldliness, might also be
employed in describing the propensity of those who have no spiritual
inclinations. Such bondage to worldliness can cause people to perceive either
the world and/or people as difficult, hard, confusing, without compassion.
There are many such variations when one’s thinking only stays on a surface
level)
Prayer should always be a personal and intimate communication. Just as one
might engage in conversation with a trusted friend, so should you allow and
sustain a sense of confidence that your words and thoughts are unequivocally
heard, received and even contemplated. This will exercise and nurture a tender
infant faith and bring it to maturity steeped in confidence.
Another strategy I used in developing my faith was to end each prayer with
the words: “Thank you for listening to my prayer, for I know that you
always listen to my prayer.” These words of Jesus appear in the New
Testament after He prayed to His Father, to raise Lazarus from the dead. My
regular and unfailing repetition of these words eventually led to a breaking
through of the intellectual thought processes which try to assert doubt of the
reality of my prayers being heard.
The mental resistance we so often encounter when dealing with aspects of
spirit, is simply the conditioned behavioral response brought about by years
of HUMAN observation and rationalization. This is quite natural and 'important'
for functioning in the world, but the mind must not be allowed to fully assert
itself whilst you are putting effort into the development of Faith. There is a
degree of surrender required. This is very important, since surrender requires
faith. Therefore, surrender then leads to faith being exercised and strengthened
(just like a body builder).
Do not fear in times of mental unrest. Remember to say to yourself if ever
there is a struggle within: "What are my motives? Do they have a higher
purpose? Is goodness and righteousness my goal? Indeed, what Father would
abandon or ignore his very own child as it calls out to Him in tender love with
courage. This can guard your best efforts through activating awareness.
In the present is where your power lies. Automatic or conditioned mental
responses are old (perhaps invalid) links with the past. Such inner struggles
are your accquired mental dispositions trying to assert themselves with the
purpose of protecting you. This motive of protection is aimed at protecting you
from:
- PAIN (emotional)
- DISAPPOINTMENT
- DEFEAT
- HUMILIATION
Such reactions illustrate how your subconscious is at work considering the
implications of your actions (ie: exercising faith and standing up to the
assertions of the mind) and the consequences that might come back to you,
through THE COMPARISONS OF YOUR PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES. This mental barrier can
be formidable at times, so be Courageous!
Belief Systems indoctrinated into us at childhood also have an extremely
significant impact in the struggle to develop a new adult spiritual maturity.
In our childhood, we were simple and uncluttered, and by virtue of that youth,
we were naturally without the benefit of many life experiences. In that era,
the mental evaluative process of the adult was not present. Young minds allow
and accept without objection, verbal teaching, instruction and other guidance.
Sometimes that youthful guidance can cause conflict in later adult life as a
newly accquired experience clashes with embedded and unchallenged
indoctrination. Again, amid any conflicts, remember the motive of your new
goal. Say: "I will become new through my Love and my courage. I am
prepared to test the waters for the experiences that shall uplift my life.
One day, you will find this spiritually mature faith will bloom within. You
will have entered an entirely different dimension from the way you live life
both spiritually and worldly. When this bridge of the mind is crossed, a new
horizon will reveal itself to bring you new roads to the spiritual journey.
This faith will enable joy and confidence to naturally manifest, as the mind
accepts the reality of Spirit as authentic.
We could now say that the mind has become purified if not at least elevated,
and the journey of the spiritual aspirant is nothing but enhanced. But of
course, there is no other path greater to knowing God than through Love, and
recognition and sustenance of the sense of the Father to Child relationship.
That is, God, as a loving Father with personality, and you as a Son or Daughter
of whom this Father has nothing but admiration for His own children.
Please read the short discourses on Meditation and Contemplation as these also are vital allies in assisting
you in developing a mighty faith.
Be Peaceful,
Adrian
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