Sunday Message for January 22, 2023

PERSONAL POWERLESSNESS

I'll be talking, today, about a Truth Principal. So . . .
* if you need a little reminder of the Truth of who you are OR
* if you need a refresher on how Spirit works in your life OR
* if you sometimes forget to be grateful or feel as if you don't have much for which to be grateful . . .
. . . then this is for you. Because we are going to engage in some nitty-gritty Truth talk.

I decided to focus on a Truth Principles because of a statement Emmet Fox, a wonderful author and pioneer in the New Thought movement, once made. He said: "The Truth movement is the only thing that can save the world from its ills. Everything else has already been tried."^a

Ernest Holmes' words in the Science of Mind textbook also inspired me:
"We cannot see Reality until our eyes are open; until the light of eternal Truth has struck deeply into our own souls."^b

As did Francis Bacon:
"No pleasure is comparable to standing upon the vantage ground of Truth."^c

So Truth -- Universal Truth -- Spiritual Truth -- will be our focus.

Our Truth Principle this morning is a simple statement. The simple statement is:
God knows.

Now, most often when that statement is said, it's not said in a very positive way, is it? It's usually said when we are at our wit's end or when we are exasperated or perhaps fed up. We throw our hands up in the air and cry out "God knows!" Right? Well, today, we'll put a different spin on those words!

SURRENDER
On his CD Power Daniel Nahmod has a song called "I Don't Need to Know" which inspired today's talk. So I want to share the lyrics with you, because they put that different spin on the words "God knows." It goes like this:

When things go wrong, it's natural to wonder what celestial rule did I break.
Then things go right, it's logical to ponder, what credit can I take.

But the truth is so much easier. I don't need a master plan.
I can live here in the moment, 'cause my life is in good hands.

I don't need to know where the time goes 'cause God knows.
I don't need to know what the future holds 'cause God knows.
I need never know how pain ends, how my heart mends,
I can just let go, 'cause God knows.

The second verse is VERY powerful:

But still I find I'm crying out for answers; Guess I'm still craving control.
And still I find I'm afraid of taking chances; As if I could damage my soul.

But at this moment I remember, It comes so clear to me
That the minute I surrender, I'm as safe as I can be.

I don't need to know where the time goes 'cause God knows.
I don't need to know what the future holds 'cause God knows.
I need never know how pain ends, How my heart mends,
I can just let go, I can just let go, I can just let go . . . 'cause God knows.^d

And so instead of a statement cried out in exasperation or frustration or pain, "God knows" can be a statement of complete and holy surrender to that Divine Presence of all Love, all Life, all Energy and all Intelligence where pure potentiality and infinite possibilities reside.

I once heard the spiritual practice of surrender defined as:
Having a belief that as deeply as you are willing to let go, Spirit is willing to fill you up.

Isn't that beautiful? Let me say that again. The spiritual practice of surrender means:
Having a belief that as deeply as you are willing to let go, Spirit is willing to fill you up.

If you want to know if you have mastered this spiritual practice, you can use this test.

Right now, take a deep breath and then completely empty your lungs of oxygen. Hold it - Are you afraid that you won't have more air? OK breath!

Do you have that kind of certainty that as deeply as you are willing to let go, Spirit is willing to keep filling you up? If not yet, keep practicing, you will!

When we move into a place of "God knows" or surrender, we move into a place of grace.

Holmes wrote:
"Grace. . . is the logical result of the correct acceptance of life and of a correct relationship to the Spirit."^e

A correct acceptance of life = the Universe is for us always!

A correct relationship to the Spirit = awareness that Something so vast we can't really comprehend it is working through us, as us, and sometimes at a higher level than our conscious awareness. And when we surrender to it, we have what we might call "moments of grace."

The key, of course, is that in our hour of need we surrendered.

Holmes wrote:
"Turning to the One with a complete abandonment and in absolute trust, we will find that we are already saved, already healed and already prospered."^f

But it is just so hard for us to do that - to turn with complete abandon, isn't it? It's pretty hard for us to have as much trust in God to fill us up as we have in the air to fill our lungs with oxygen. I am sure you are familiar with this wonderful poem that describes our situation so perfectly.

Let Go and Let God (by Lauretta Burns)
As children bring their broken toys, with tears for us to mend,
I brought my broken dreams to God, because God was my friend.
But then, instead of leaving him in peace to work alone,
I hung around and tried to help, with ways that were my own.
At last, I snatched them back and cried, "How can you be so slow?"
"My child," God said, "What could I do? You never did let go!"^g

We often keep our good away because we try to solve all our problems here on the outside, ignoring the all-encompassing help of the Infinite. We rely entirely, habitually, on those things we can see and touch and explain.

And we forget to rely on the spiritual good that inhabits and surrounds us all the time. We forget to rely on, and to express, the Divine power that never forsakes us.

There is always something far mightier and more reliable just in back of every outer experience, which we can learn to experience and to express: The Infinite source of all life and all good.

We can train ourselves to rely on this. We can yield our faith to God, and let it be developed until it lifts our consciousness to the heights where the works of God are revealed. Having faith in the invisible good sets these invisible powers in us into action, on a higher and higher level.

Eric Butterworth once wrote:
"When we actually believe that God is the only real power in our lives, we shall act accordingly, and form wonderful new mental habits. Less and less shall we allow ourselves to be swayed by distressing mortal influences. Our inner attention will be turned more to the omnipresent Divine good that is rightfully ours. We shall become more confident, happy and expectant. We shall ask for, and expect, peace where there is discord; health where there is disease; ability where there is inability; love where there is hate; joy where there is sorrow; guidance where there is question; knowledge and provision where there is lack; and a job to meet our requirements and skills. So stop trying to "make it happen," and let it happen. Stop trying to make money and let substance flow. Stop trying to make a demonstration of health, and let life have its way in you. "Let there be." It's a prayer that never fails. Let your prayer and meditation become a ceaseless, persistent effort to let go; to let go of the effort "^h. . .

Or, as a wonderful New Thought song says: "to let go, let God and let the good times roll."

Here is a story told by Eric Butterworth:

A few years ago, he was flying from the West and the flight to which he was being transferred in Chicago was suddenly cancelled. And, in fact, two other flights to Chicago were also cancelled.

Hundreds of people milled about the airport in anger and confusion. He was even somewhat frustrated because he really needed to get to Chicago. In his frustration, he remembered a statement of Edwin Markham that had often helped him: "When you are the hammer, strike; when you are the anvil, bear." In other words, if there is something you can do, do it with all your being. But if there's nothing you can do, relax and just let it happen.

So, realizing that for the moment there was absolutely nothing he could do, he sat quietly in this turbulent room.

He became aware of another man, who stood out because he was the only other person who was not arguing and squabbling with the airline people. Butterworth went over and sat by him, striking up a conversation and asked him how he could be so serene and calm.

He said, "Oh, I haven't always been this way. But you see, I spent a year in a sanitarium and I had much time to think things out. It was a great growth experience, during which I made a covenant with the flow of life within me. And I learned that the goal in life is to let God express at all times, regardless of circumstances. And I have resolved never to let things that happen around me or to me overshadow the dynamic presence of God within me. I've found that outer things always come to pass, but the inner power goes on forever."

And so the two of them sat having a calm and peaceful conversation. The interesting thing is that an announcement from the airline said that they had decided to do the fair thing: they had three flights of people to get on to one plane, so only one-third of the people could be taken, and they were going to draw lots fairly and take the passengers impartially as selected. After all the pressuring and demanding and even threatening of most of the passengers, Butterworth's quiet friend was the first called and Butterworth was called second. It was a great lesson in letting go and letting God.

So, it's one thing to be in a situation like that and to surrender, but what about when we really want to create something in our lives. We're clear about what we want and we hold on to it like dogs with their bones. Well, surrender has a role here as well.

Do you know how scientists have learned to catch monkeys in the jungle so they can tag them for research? Who knows?

They catch them by tethering small jars with long narrow necks to the ground, and putting a handful of nuts in them. The monkey thrusts his paw into the jar to take a fistful of nuts. But when he tries to withdraw the prize, he discovers that his clenched fist will not pass through the narrow neck of the jar. So he is trapped in the securely fastened jar -- unable to escape with his booty and yet unwilling to let it go.

But here's the profound thing - if they would just let go, the forest, which is filled with nuts and berries and everything they could ever possible need or want to eat, is right there. They don't need the small amount of nuts that are in the jar!!

We may smile at the monkeys, thinking how foolish they are, but in many respects we are just like them. We cling to our desires so tightly that we can't see the Universe of good that is available!

There is a profound affirmation, that can be mind changing in these circumstances:

     God makes a way where there appears to be no way.

I would like to share with you, a wonderful prayer that I ran across on the web then we will go into meditation. The prayer goes like this:

Dear God; Please untie the knots that are in my mind, my heart and my life.
Remove the have-nots, the can-nots, and the do-nots that I have in my mind.
Erase the will-nots, may-nots, and the might-nots that may find a home in my heart.
Release me from the could-nots, would-nots, and should-nots that obstruct my life.
And most of all, Dear God, I ask that you remove from my mind, my heart, and my life all of the am-nots that I have allowed to hold me back, especially the thought that I am not good enough.

So close your eyes and think for a moment -- what are you holding on to? In what way could you let go and let God?

Are you filled with a sense of weariness today? Let it go and rest in the knowledge of God's unfolding love and peace and renewal.

Are you ill in body or mind? Right now, let it go and let God's healing life flow through you, cleansing every cell of your body, every negative belief of your mind.

Let go and rely upon God's eternal life and vitality within you. You may have some other problem. Let go of it. Release it. Release the whole matter to God, knowing that the magic touch of God's wisdom is now transforming it into an instrument for your highest good. The direction in which you are to go is beautifully and clearly revealed.

Relax, deeply relax, in the knowledge of your oneness with God. Realize that you are eternally one with all love, that God's love surrounds you, sustains you, protects you, and fills your being completely.

Right now, know that God knows! And so it is. Amen