The Pathway of Roses/Human Nature Becoming Divine Nature
CHAPTER XVI
HUMAN NATURE BECOMING DIVINE NATURE
There are thousands of people in the world to-day who have undertaken to live the spiritual life, and the majority of them understand, to a fair degree, the principles upon which such a life is based; nevertheless, there are too many who do not have as great results as they ought to have, and they are at a loss to find the reason why. With the spiritual wisdom which we now possess, we ought to do greater things than were ever known upon earth before; we ought to be able to overcome every wrong, not only in our own lives, but also in the lives of all who are receptive to our spiritual work; and we ought to realize an ever-increasing abundance of infinite good and infinite power from on high. We ought to do all these things and much more, and when we can see distinctly where the two ways part, we certainly shall.
When we know that we have such an exceptional opportunity for higher usefulness in this age, we can not be satisfied simply to use the power of divine truth for the attainment of physical health and personal prosperity. There are other and greater things to work for, but not many have the secret path to the world of these greater things. However, the reason why is simple; and likewise, the reason why the majority do not secure as great results as they should in the lesser things, is also simple. And the reason is we cannot serve two masters; we cannot take two paths at the same time; when we come to the parting of the ways we must take the one that leads into light and forget the other absolutely.
When we learn that man is created in the image and likeness of God, we enter a new realm of thought; we have made a new discovery, and we have found another way to think and live. The former belief taught us to think and live as a sinner, as a weak human body; the new truth has taught us to live as a spiritual being, as a child of God, as a strong, perfect, divine soul. And here is the place where we must decide which way to go, as it is not possible to believe the old and the new at the same time and have result; nor is it possible to believe part of the old and part of the new at the same time and realize that power for good that the new may contain.
There are many minds who believe in divine truth, and who accept fully the great truth that man is the image of God, but still continue to think of themselves as weak, human creatures. When the difficult task comes, and they fail, they usually become discouraged, and this is their language: "Just as I expected; but then I am only human, only a weak, frail being, not able to cope with these things; some day I may be able to overcome, but as yet I am too weak; I must not expect too much of myself, as I am only human." This is the drift of the thought in many a mind, and it explains perfectly why they have not overcome the wrong and attained the good. They are trying to realize the perfection of the divine within while recognizing the imperfection of the human without. They expect to attain divine power while persisting in living in the world of human weakness. They are trying to serve both the truth and the untruth, but we cannot realize the power of truth until we eliminate the untruth completely.
The outer has seemed to be the only reality so long that the mind naturally thinks everything existing in the outer to be reality; and here is the difficulty; we think the outer to be substantial and the inner to be "mere mental mist," but it is when we reverse this belief that we find the real truth. The statement that the flesh is weak has been a race thought for ages, and it comes natural to think of the flesh as weak; but the truth is that the flesh is weak because we have made it so, and we have made is so by claiming human weakness as our heritage instead of spiritual strength. He who lives constantly in the conviction that unbounded, spiritual strength is his inheritance now, will never for one moment feel that the flesh is weak. The flesh is what we make it, and it is just as easy to make it strong as to make it weak. Think that you are a weak, frail, human creature and the flesh will become the dwelling place of weakness; but know that you are a strong, invincible, eternal soul, and the flesh will become the very embodiment of strength, and will be filled with life and power from on high.
We may philosophize learnedly about the beauty of spiritual thought, but that will serve no purpose unless the truth that is contained in our spiritual thought is stamped upon every word we express. We all realize the power of words; whenever we speak we send a life current through every part of the body; and if the words spoken are the expressions of material belief we give conditions of weakness to the body, and at times even disease. When we stamp every word, not with human thought, but with divine thought, every word will convey to the person the very spirit of life, power and wholeness. Through the power of speech a person can bring upon himself every wrong in the world; and through the same power he can bring upon himself every good in the world. Through the right use of words, uttered or unexpressed, a person can attain or obtain anything. Words are living forces; they create according to their nature, and they attract their kind. When we become as scrupulous about our words as we are about our clothes we shall become a superior race.
The parting of the ways is found where we can see the difference between human expression and divine expression. So long as our expressions are stamped with the belief that we are weak, frail or "only human," we shall continue in weakness and in that smallness of character that we call human nature. But human nature is simply an undeveloped condition; it is not a permanent factor in human existence; it seems to be permanent simply because practically no effort has been given to the unfoldment and expression of man's divine nature. To say that we are "human" and that we must ever remain so in this world is not only the untruth, but such expressions give weakness and adverse conditions to the personal life. We cause the flesh to become weak and remain weak by living in the belief that we are mere human creatures, and therefore when we meet adversity we "fall down," become sick, or otherwise manifest the imperfection of that life that is lived apart from the spirit.
When we take the other path, however, and begin to recognize our divine nature as our only nature, there will soon be a change in events. When this path is taken we recognize limitations no more, and the term "can not" is forgotten. You never again permit yourself to say that you are sick, tired, limited, easily tempted or merely human. Such expressions you simply will not employ under any circumstances whatever. You know your divine nature, and every thought you think and every word you speak must express what you know to be true. Your every expression of mind, tongue or being thrills with the life and the power of eternal spirit. Regardless of obstacles or adverse events, you stand by your convictions of truth whatever may happen or no. It matters not to you what happens in the exterior. You are not an exterior being; you are a spiritual being, created in the image of God. Nothing that happens can affect you, disturb you, or even touch you; you are in Him, in everlasting safety. You live in the spirit; you know what is true in the spirit, and you think and speak accordingly every moment of your endless existence. Ere long the word of truth becomes a living power in body, mind and soul, and your entire being becomes a perfect expression of that Divine Word that is of God.
There is a strong tendency to compromise with the undeveloped side of the person whenever we fail to demonstrate the absolute power of the spirit. But this must never be permitted. No matter how many times you fail in the person do not admit that you are weak. You are not the person; you are the soul—the perfect image of God, and the image of God is supreme strength regardless of what may happen in the person. Continue to think the absolute truth, even in the midst of sickness, failure, trouble and want, and those things will soon depart never to return any more.
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Father, I am one with thee, |