God within Me
Don Wiley of Murrieta, CA, USA
The voice of doubt and the spirit of discouragement are strong and will continue to diminish your spiritual energy if you do not strive to overcome them with a new outpouring of love and support for one another. Therefore, continue to be strong in faith. To you who hear my voice and know my promises, I will reveal myself and give my peace even in the midst of your uncertainties. -Doctrine and Covenants 158: 10-11a
Most of my life I have thought of God as something “out there.” The Creator of the universe, the source of life, even Jesus of Nazareth is someone-something-out there. It is only recently that I have challenged my thinking and my belief system. As a result, I have discovered the Divine Presence all around me. This has helped me understand more of the scriptures (Old and New Testaments) and what is written about the Holy Spirit, who Jesus was, what and who the Christ is, and the concept of the Trinity.
As I recognized the presence of the Divine God in all of creation, including me, I changed how I pray, see, hear and expect. In a conversation recently, I was told, “God wants you to take care of yourself (physically).” I didn’t like that expression because it sounded like the God “out there somewhere” was telling me to take care of myself. I repeated back, “The God within me wants me to care for myself,” and we were both brought immediately into a new way of thinking.
The Divine Presence that resides within each cell of who I am cries out to me to care for me-every part of me. I am to care about and for my physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual self. Oh, yes, and I am also called to care for others in the same way.
Prayer Phrase
“Be vulnerable to divine grace” (Doctrine and Covenants Section 163:10b).
Spiritual Practice
This month, spend time each day noticing where divine grace is already pouring forth. Perhaps it is a simple awareness of creation’s systems and cycles that support our daily existence. The sun rises each day without being asked. There are underlying rhythms and relationships that hold the fabric of our lives together. Sometimes they fall into the background of our lives. We forget to see the natural generosity that spills over throughout our days-of the planet, the people we love, the Sacred Presence in all moments, the kindness of strangers we encounter, and the gifts we carry within. What is already being given in your life? What does it look like to be vulnerable to divine grace today?
Today’s Prayer for Peace
Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.
