PRACTICE
52 Weeks of Spiritual Practice
By Deborah Williams
The purpose of the 52 Principles is to develop a partnership, a connection with God. Connecting with God is why we are here; the soul’s desire. To be in communication with the Creator is ideally the most fulfilling life, our best life. The intent of the 52 Principles is God-realization through daily practice. Practice the principles with frequency and find God-consciousness through your own efforts. This week’s spiritual principle is Intention.
Intention can be associated with light energy on a continuum. Everyone has light. The quality of your intention is paralleled to the brightness of your light; laser light with single-pointed attention in contrast to a subdued dim, low beam light. When the quality of our light is dim, intentions are only centered on money, sex, power and material gain. In contrast, God-centered intentions reflect love, truth, happiness, and peace. In the presence of God’s Light, anything is possible. Don’t hide your light! Let it shine for all; let your good deeds glow for all to see, so that they will praise your heavenly Father (Matthew 5:16).
Our intent to know God makes our life spiritual. Others cannot determine our true intentions – only you and God know the intent of an action. We can give our time and money to genuinely help others, or to impress and receive recognition. God would surely know, for he knows the secrets of every heart (Psalms 44:21). We are responsible for setting our intention; our light. The soul’s intention is toward the greatest good – when you intend or have intentions, consider the best possible solution for everyone –not just you. Inner growth requires daily discipline. God is waiting for us to come up higher.
Near death experiences are always associated with a beam of light. Our light is always available – contemplation, prayer, and meditation can unmask false intentions, impeding our light; our spiritual growth. It is possible that we may not be aware of our own intentions. Our quality of intention/light is manifested in how we think, feel, and behave. When thoughts, words, and actions are fragmented, our intention/light cannot shine brightly. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, and purify your hearts, you double-minded (James 4:8). We move in the direction of God, toward the source of our Light, when we acknowledge our true intent.
Our intention/light affects our inner and outer world. Thought is energy, and our thoughts affect our physical body, mental state, and emotions. We can choose to affect the atmosphere wherever we go by our intention/light. The physical effects of our presence linger after we leave. Be conscious how you affect others. Let your light shine – the Light of God and the Love of God is within you. We have the ability to strengthen our intention/light through association; choose positive like-minded people. Matthew 18:20 encourages group energy dynamics. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Spiritual growth is setting your intention/light. Verbalize and write down your intentions for yourself, family, work, church family, gym, world – see the end at the beginning. Have a vision of you in the Light. Where there is no vision, the people perish; but he who keeps the law of God, which includes that of man—they are blessed, happy, and fortunate (Proverbs 29:18). Master your intention/light by giving a percentage of time daily to spiritual growth.
How do you intend to let your light shine? Develop your own spiritual practice.
Peace and Many Blessings
No comments:
Post a Comment