Another title that caught you off guard? Let me start off with that word “fight” is an acronym for us today. FIGHT = Freely Inspire Goodness, Healing, & Truth.
When we know that our love cannot be depleted, our divinity cannot run dry, our nature as the Infinite is just that INFINITE, then why would we not freely inspire?
"Hell Naw!"
Back in December, a few days after Christmas, I and a few friends went to see the new theatrical production of The Color Purple. In the film there is a song performed by the character of Sofia, where she tells miss Celie, that she had to fight all her life. Sofia says that she had to fight her daddy, brothers, cousins, and uncles (all of the men in her life) and that she would not fight in her own house, meaning she refused to have to fight her husband. This scene and the song occur as a direct result of Miss Celie telling Harpo, Sofia’s husband and the son of the abusive character of Mister, that he should beat Sofia. Sofia in many ways represents the indominable female spirit that will not be broken. She stands up to anyone and everyone no matter their gender, race, or socio-economic status. What does this “Hell Naw” that she declares, mean for us? Our sacred and authentic “No” gives way for the “Yes” of our lives! What are we ready and willing to say no to in order to live our yes?
Breath of Life
I am sure you are familiar with the story from the Bible where God created Adam. Genesis 2:7 says, “Yahweh God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” The etymology of that word inspire, is to be in spirit, to breathe, to be breathed. One could say that Adam was “inspired” by God. Declaring our Yes means we are saying yes to being both inspired and an embodiment of inspiration. And let’s be clear that inspiration also exists on a spectrum from the Life-Denying or Non-Life-Affirming to the Life-Affirming. Dr. Oppenheimer was inspired to create a weapon of mass destruction and cult leaders like Jim Jones and dictators like Hitler were inspired to hurt, harm, and kill. So, inspiration simply for the sake of inspiration is not enough. We must be inspired with a Holy (Holistic) Inspiration that is aligned with the Truth of what God is… Breathe that Breath and live accordingly!
Goodness, Healing and Truth
Based upon my observations, one reason we do not tend to automatically lean into the space where we freely inspire “goodness, healing, and Truth,” … we do not trust ourselves. We do not trust that we are as powerful as we say we are. How do we stop such things as racism, sexism, corruption, greed, etc.?
"Trust yourself, trust your power – that’s how you stop it."
~Doctor Stephen Strange, 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' (2022)
Identify 3 things that you would say are True of God.
Take a breath and reflect on the realization that Dr. Holmes said, “The life within you is God, whatever is true of God is true of your Life, since your Life and the Life of God are not two, but One.” ~Invisible Power: (p. 9.1)
Whatever is true of God is true of YOU!
Can you trust that?
Trust: a firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something. To have confidence, certainty, certitude, conviction, reliance. . .
If not… that is the invitation today. Consider what might be preventing you from having this degree of transformative trust and what practices are you invited to engage in to build it.
When we trust ourselves, we trust The Universe. This trust, this conviction shows up as our lived expression of the Spiritual Principles and practices of compassion, kindness, equity, justice, healthy relationships, and service to name a few. This means that goodness, healing, and truth will by default show up in our lives individually and collectively.
"At some point, we all have to choose, between what the world wants you to be, and who you are." ~Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow, 'Black Widow' (2021)
Blessings
Rev. Ray
Excelsior!