This past Tuesday, I began facilitating
a study of the book Spiritual Economics
by Unity minister and author Eric Butterworth. In alignment with that, last
week I began a series of Sunday messages based on the book. As I thought about
what I wanted to share in my blog post this week in relation to that, I was
reminded of a post that I wrote nearly 8 years ago soon after I arrived at
Unity Spiritual Center Denver (then Unity Church of Denver). While I have
changed a few things here and there, I thought I would share it again here.
Several years ago, I read and
listened to the recording of the book Break
Out: Five Ways To Go Beyond Your Barriers and Live an Extraordinary Life, by
Lakewood Church Pastor and bestselling author, Joel Osteen. At the time, I used
the book as inspiration for several Sunday morning lessons. I often get a kick
out of listening to Pastor Osteen’s reading of the book. And I am often
triggered by some of his theology. However, when I am able to reinterpret some
of what he says, I am often inspired by him.
Mr. Osteen inspires and
encourages with the message that our first “Break
Out” must occur within our own minds:
"When you break through in your mind, believing
you can rise higher and overcome obstacles, then God will unleash the power
within that will enable you to go beyond the ordinary into the extraordinary
life you were designed to live."
On the surface it sounds like
a message that one might hear from any Unity or other New Thought teacher. However,
what strikes me about Mr. Osteen’s message, and it is not in alignment with our
teaching, is his reference to a God somewhere ‘out there’ who is eagerly waiting
to bless us, provided we increase our faith by utilizing the five practices
outlined in his book.
Further, that “he” (God) will
take us beyond our own self-imposed limitations provided that we put him first.
Mr. Osteen says that God will “favor” us by taking us beyond our current
condition, whether physical, financial, relational, or other. It seems evident
that his message is that when we win God’s favor “He” will reach down and
perform a miracle for us.
As evidence for his
assertion, Osteen cites examples of physical healings, job promotions,
unexpected encounters that lead to increased prosperity or notoriety, as well
as others. His message speaks of a capricious deity whom we spur into action
through our devoted worship.
I
would be in complete agreement with Mr. Osteen if he had instead stated,
“When you break through in your mind,
believing you can rise higher and overcome obstacles, God, the power within,
will be unleashed enabling you to go beyond the ordinary into the extraordinary
life you were designed to live.”
In
Unity we teach that God is “the power within,” and that power is unleashed when
we release our resistance to it.
As Unity minister and author,
Eric Butterworth, states in Spiritual
Economics,
“The important Truth is that you are a spiritual being
with the Allness of Infinite Mind within you. Whatever your need may be, the
answer is not to get God to give you more through some divine slight-of-hand
process, but rather to uncover and release your own “imprisoned splendor.”
The
God of our understanding does not perform miracles, if by ‘miracles’ we mean
physical demonstrations that supersede Spiritual and Universal Laws, nor does
God “favor” one person over another. Each of us has the power within that when
realized, activated and released will produce demonstrations, in alignment with
Law, that others may see and call “miracles.”
However, we will know as the Master Teacher, Jesus stated, “It is the
Father within that does the work.”
Charles
Fillmore, the co-founder of Unity, stated,
“All true action is governed by law. Nothing
just happens. There are no miracles. There is no such thing as luck. Nothing
comes by chance. All happenings are the result of cause and can be explained
under the law of cause and effect.”
While I deeply respect Joel
Osteen, and what he presents in his book as “Five Ways To Go Beyond Your Barriers and Live an Extraordinary Life,”
I propose that Unity also provides us with five ways to increase our faith and move
beyond our self-imposed limitations and live life extraordinarily: they are
known as the Five Basic Principles of
Unity. Although they are not traditionally presented as action steps, these
five truths can serve as guiding principles for our lives if we know how to put
them into practice.
I would like to offer the
following restatement of the five basic principles of Unity as positive action statements.
Each is followed by an affirmation I offer that may help us make them an
integral part of our daily spiritual practice thereby unleashing our
“imprisoned splendor” and allowing us to live extraordinary lives.
Please note that ‘Good’ as
used here is not an evaluative word, as in ‘good or bad’; nor is it meant to
represent anything of form, as in “goods” that we might receive. Instead, it is
used to represent the nature of the Divine.
First –Dare Bravely to believe
that there is only God, the Absolute Good, and none besides God.
I believe that there is one power and one presence. I
believe that the nature of that power and presence is absolute beauty, order,
life, harmony, love, unity, abundance, and all the Good that I can imagine. I
believe! I release my unbelief.
Second –Claim Unabashedly
the Truth of your Divine nature.
I am created in the image and likeness of the one
power and one presence endowed with its nature; therefore, God is all the Good that
I am.
Third - Believe Fearlessly
that you experience life according to the thoughts you think.
I consciously choose to release all limiting thoughts
and choose positive, constructive thoughts that allow manifestations of Good in
my life. I make conscious choices that support my well-being – physically,
mentally, emotionally and spiritually. I actively practice Self Love and
acceptance.
Fourth – Claim Boldly through the
practice of affirmative prayer that only Good manifests in your life experience.
Through the power of prayer, I claim my Good and I
open to the flow of Divine Spirit and Substance in and as my life.
Fifth – Give Courageously from
the awareness that God, the Absolute Good, is all that I am and all that I have
to give and all that I am open to receive.
I give freely from the eternal fount of Divine
Substance and Supply. I know that as I give, I receive. I trust that I cannot
out-give, nor can I ever deplete the one Source of all that I am.
I encourage us all to look at
the Five Basic Principles, not as simply a stated belief system of the Unity
movement, but as universal truth principles that can serve as spiritual
practices for increasing our faith and expanding our consciousness so that we
may rise above what we perceive as obstacles and live fully empowered and
extraordinary lives manifesting so-called miracles every day.
Unleash your “imprisoned
splendor” and shine!
