One of my favorite quotes from Ernest Holmes, the founder of Religious Science, is “Faith is the mental attitude which is so convinced of its own idea – which so completely accepts it – that any contradiction is unthinkable and impossible.”

We all have faith.  The question is what do we have faith in?   When my faith is in fear, I am so completely convinced of the idea of fear, so accepting of fear, that any contradiction is unthinkable and impossible.  We’ve probably all been there.  Faith in fear paralyzes us and tends to produce more fear in our lives.   This is not only a spiritual principle, but a scientific principle as well.  We live in a universe of infinite possibilities.  That which we focus on, believe in, and are convinced of in our own minds is reproduced in our outer world.  Given this truth, what would you like to consciously choose to put your faith in?

We all can pile up the evidence in our mind that validates what we should or should not have faith in.  Ultimately, however, we have a choice.   I’ve chosen to have faith in God as a universal principle whose nature is absolute Love, Peace, Abundance, and Wisdom.  I believe that the universe is inherently a friendly place.  I believe that there is enough and that we are each a perfect expression of God, one with It.

With this description of my faith, when life does not appear consistent with these beliefs, I don’t change my belief (remember faith is so convinced of itself that “any contradiction is unthinkable and impossible”), but rather challenge the appearances and my perceptions.  If life is looking unfriendly, when it appears there is not enough, when I feel separate from my neighbor, my faith says  – “I know you, and you are not the truth!”  With strong faith I am no longer at the effect of temporary circumstances, and because of the nature of my faith I reproduce more love, peace, abundance and wisdom in my life.

Faith is the single most powerful factor in our lives.  It reproduces itself as the experiences of our life and supports us in walking through the challenges of life.  May we choose it wisely.

You are Precious.  You are Awesome.

Rev. Dr. Kristin Hawkins

(Listen to the full talk at http://namastetalks.posterous.com/rev-dr-kristin-one-carry-on-only-please-12920)