July 16: Day 16

STEP THREE CONTINUED: Recognize that we are spiritual beings and decide to turn our lives over to “that which is greater than self” referred to in these steps as “The Divine.”
 
Instruction: Accept the divine within.

Some might balk at the idea that we are a part of divinity, but if we are spiritual beings, then the Spirit that gives us life must have come from somewhere. We can choose to view our lives as if we are half-empty glasses or half-full glasses. We can see our mistakes and “sins” as something that separates us from divinity and one another, or we can see that we are as The Divine created us—which includes our so-called blemishes and sins, and keep in mind that the definition of sin is simply a missing of the mark, or simply a mistake. The Christian tradition states that we were created in the image of God. Nowhere does it state that we were uncreated in God’s image after things went “wrong” in the Garden of Eden. I don’t see us getting around the fact that we are spiritual beings first and foremost. The physical aspect of our lives ends with death, but the spirit is not dependent upon the body. Religions may disagree on where the spirit goes upon death, but most agree that death is not the end of the spirit.

By remembering that we are spiritual beings, it becomes easier to separate our spiritual journey from religion. Most people are born into a specific set of religious beliefs, and those beliefs become so entwined in their lives that many people can’t imagine a different way to believe. Wouldn’t it be better for us to study different religions and pick the one that we think fits us best? Perhaps that is too idealistic and impractical, but imagine someone who was never exposed to religious beliefs. Would they not still feel a connection to something greater than themselves? Would they not see a Higher Power in the sky, in the trees, and in all of nature? Would they not see it in the animals? Would they not see it in one another?

We are spiritual beings. Religion can add to that knowledge so we have a better appreciation of who we are and why we are here, or it can diminish the importance of who we are and our uniqueness in the universe. For today, ask yourself if there is a particular way you want The Divine to be involved in your life. Ask The Divine to be in that part of your life and then look for the subtle signs.