Throwing off limitations

I love the movie Hidden Figures. It is such an inspiring success story of overcoming adversity, racial and gender discrimination, and other limitations. The women in this movie are courageous, intelligent, persistent, confident and poised. Each of them overcomes boundaries individually and collectively, and the audience rejoices in their victory.

Stories such as these are empowering because they show what we are capable of. These women face down demons of discouragement and fear. And through their persistent effort they make a significant difference with marked achievement. We are all capable of throwing of material fetters. The world is constantly imposing on us “you can’t”. These “voices” may come from within or without. But if we begin with knowing who we are as the spiritual children of God, and listen to God’s voice, we will go up higher.

Discerning the rights of man, we cannot fail to foresee the doom of all oppression. Slavery is not the legitimate state of man. God made man free.1

We want to strive to begin with God and what God is seeing and knowing about us each day. We can’t get any higher than that, so why not start with this beautiful view! God, Spirit, is infinite, intelligent, perfect being and consciousness. Spirit created us in the image and likeness of Spirit, God. So what does that tell us about who we are? Talented, beautiful, graceful, meaningful — capable of being conscious of what God is conscious of right now. We reflect the qualities of our Creator. God is communicating Himself in tender, compassionate ways. When we listen to that voice, we go up higher. We discern our true spiritual nature and, in turn, we are freed from material impositions and limitations. When we reason from this good premise, we get good results.

Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.2

We all want to be free, and we can be by freeing ourselves from material fetters. It’s the Holy Spirit that comes to our thought to reveal to us who and what we really are. It’s like waking up to the truth that has been there all along. Just like when explorers realized the Earth wasn’t flat, everyone’s perception had to change. The Holy Spirit wakes us up to the infinite, spiritual nature of reality and our perception changes. We grow and expand out of the material limits and express more of God’s divine nature. This is way we give glory to God!

Citizens of the world, accept the “glorious liberty of the children of God,” and be free! This is your divine right.3

1 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 227
2 II Corinthians 3:17
3 Ibid, p. 227
Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay 

See yourself through God’s eyes

How do you see yourself? As the spiritual image and likeness of infinite Spirit? As unlimited, beautiful, flawless, and perfect? If you see yourself as anything less, than take a look at yourself through God’s eyes!

You are of purer eyes than to behold evil…Habakkuk 1:13

When we start with our Creator — infinite, spiritual, and perfect — then it is natural for us to express God’s likeness.

We don’t need to allow ourselves to see anything less than the whole, talented, valuable, beloved, and free child of God.

When we start with our Source, we find a direct route to knowing our spiritual identity.

So what do we do with those negative messages coming to us? The Bible tells us of the supreme power and authority of good in our consciousness.

…those [thoughts] who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish. You shall seek those [thoughts] who contend with you,but you shall not find them; those [thoughts] who war against you shall be as nothing at all. Isaiah 41:11,12

When we think of this passage in terms of thoughts, we see that any self-doubt, insecurity, fear, or lack — will be as nothing. We do not have to accept the negative messages coming to our consciousness. We can stand “porter at the door of thought”1 and allow only goodness to be manifested in our human consciousness and experience. When we awaken to our spiritually identity, moment by moment, it is like turning on a light and the darkness flees.

Do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand…For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Do not fear, I will help you.” Isaiah 41:10, 13

God is helping us to know the truth about ourselves. With God on our side, it doesn’t have to be hard. We can shut out the unhealthy and negative thoughts because they do not have validity or authority in God’s kingdom.

You don’t have to believe the negative voices in your head. They will NEVER be true. You are the loved and blessed child of a good, God. You will never be anything less. Put that limited picture of you behind you. See yourself through God’s eyes today.


1 Mary Baker Eddy, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 392

Redemption & an inspiring example from Mary

woman-591576_960_720I love the inspiring example of Mary Magdalene in the Bible. We don’t know a lot about this woman, but we do know that she went to Jesus seeking forgiveness and was ready to repent, change her actions, and seek Christ.

[She] stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

Jesus treats her compassionately and forgives her sins (even defending her to the Pharisee who was judging her) . What a profound healing that must have been for Mary!

“Which of them will love him most?” was the Master’s question to Simon the Pharisee; and Simon replied, “He to whom he forgave most.” Jesus approved the answer, and so brought home the lesson to all, following it with that remarkable declaration to the woman, “Thy sins are forgiven.”

The part that I love is that Mary didn’t turn around and dwell on her mistakes; the Bible tells us she became a follower of Jesus, was there for him at the crucifixion and was even the first to see him after his resurrection.

What a practical, inspiring example for us today! We’ve all made past mistakes and wish we could have done things differently. But ruminating on them isn’t going to help! That is why I love the example of Mary. She didn’t need to wonder why she had done the things she had; she didn’t turn to the past to inform her who she was — whom Jesus saw that she was; she was a completely free woman fully capable of living her divine purpose going forward. The transformation that took place in her was a complete “new birth” experience.

We can all learn from Mary’s example, and go forward and shine!

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

___

Luke 7:38 KJV
Mary Baker Eddy, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 363:18
II Corinthians 5:17 NLT