Faith Springs Eternal

As we welcome March and say good-bye to February, I'd like to acknowledge the very special demonstration of faith that February presents to us each and every year. Typically, in most parts of America, February displays little evidence to suggest that spring is just around the corner. Growing up in Nebraska, I remember the slushy streets, barren trees, and colorless skies engulfing us in gray monotony. Still, we had complete faith that February would lead us to March and that the winds of spring would soon be spreading the vitality of new life, warmth, and vibrant color to our world.

The human condition predisposes us to a spectrum of emotions. Dispair would be at one end of our personal Richter Scale and faith would be at the other. Feeling hopeful is certainly many degrees above dispair, but it is not synonymous with the feeling of faith. The definition of faith is absolute confidence or trust in a person or thing. When we have faith that something will occur, we can relax and confidently go on with our lives. In contrast, feeling hopeful implies a cautious optimism, allowing some room for doubt and worry. Admittedly, when we're facing a difficult situation that causes us to be concerned about something or someone, faith can be a scarce and precious commodity.

However, we can cultivate faith through prayerful visualization. It's an enjoyable and powerful practice that can dramatically change our attitudes and ultimately, the events that make up our lives. Each and every day, imagine that what you want to have happen has already occurred. For example, all parents want their children to be healthy and happy. Instead of praying for their health and happiness, close your eyes and envision your child as the picture of health and happiness. See her smile, and hear her laughter. At this point, you will probably find yourself smiling and your heart will grow warm. If you want to add silent or spoken words to your prayerful visualization, pray (child's name) happy, pray (child's name) healthy. As you'll notice, I'm suggesting that you leave out the word for. You are actually experiencing (through your feelings and visualization) what you'd like to have occur. When you feel complete, punctuate your prayerfu l visualization with a feeling of thankfulness and gratitude.

Prayerful visualization has no limitations and can be applied to any situation. It can be directed toward an individual's well-being or toward the entire planet. When you feel hopeless and frustrated by the turmoil in the world, close your eyes and through prayerful visualization, experience a peaceful world. Pray peace. See young soldiers reuniting with their families. Feel the joy in a mother's heart as she hugs her son. Expand upon your prayerful visualization until you feel content and grateful. This practice will feel quite a bit different than praying for peace or for anything else. When you're praying for something, you're focusing on your need and on what is lacking. It may seem like a subtle difference. But the feeling it invokes is very different. And the feeling is the prayer! Rather than pleading for something that we feel is missing in our lives, we're surrounded with the answered prayer and filled with the feeling of fulfillment and gr atitude.

Although one of the wonderful benefits of prayerful visualization is stress relief, it is far more than a fanciful exercise that simply makes us feel good. Quantum physics is proving that our thoughts and prayers are effectual and powerful agents of change. When we embody the very conditions that we want to experience, we transcend the doubt that often accompanies our desires and prayers. This creates a positive energy that is projected beyond our bodies and throughout the world, opening the door to our dreams and desires. When the feeling of our prayers is answered in our hearts, they become the reality of our lives.

At times, we all find ourselves in situations that hurt us. While it's easy to embrace a positive attitude when everything is as cheerful as a sunny spring day, it can be difficult when life brings challenges that engulf us in gray despair. During these times, let's remember February's demonstration of faith. No matter how dreary the landscape appears in February, spring is on its way.

From PattiTeel.com     Timeoutfordreamers.com for recordings that you can download.