Principles & Testimonies

By words it is not possible to judge another’s approach.  Words speak only the dead ideas that may flow from a living Spirit or an active–but essentially lifeless–principle.  Or they may flow from self seeking motivation cloaked in high language and good thoughts.  The news has brought us some stories of prominent preachers brought low when their self seeking was discovered.

This distinction is at the root of the differing experience around perfection.  Fox, underpinned by the leading of the Light–touching his very personal self from the moment he was coming into the world–could make claims that Paul and Winstanely (I think.) would admit they’d fall short of–because they were at heart the old man with a new man’s cloak.

What claims can we make?  What can we live up to?  What is underpinning me?  As I teach?  As I write?  As I love?

Few Friends–indeed few persons anywhere–can honestly claim to know intimately in each moment that they rest in the womb of God.  Most of us yearn for such peace but see it as a distant heaven, far removed from our present experience.
Smith, 2005.  PH 378, pp. 24 & 25.

My experience suggests that I’m far too critical of my states of consciousness when I’m in them. [That’s a bear of a concept to put on paper!] In reflection on a day, I can see that the Lord was working in my life–and in my soul–throughout its course.  A long range view of my degree of being in touch looks more positive than my momentary awareness.  I pray that I’m not being simply self congratulatory so I can feel good in hindsight.

I’m learning over years the positive nature of the practices of muddling through.  We can seek the best in each decision while being aware that few of these choices are monumental and most can be revisited.  Then we practice discernment often and improve our skills by small steps.  We goof up and try over.  The inward experience isn’t soul shattering but the fruits of the practice are pretty good.

With all this sensing, trying, goofing and changing, can we call it perfection?  Perhaps not.  But is the natural, evolved world perfect in some sense?

Rather than saving discernment under leading for the great decisions of life, I am starting to use it for the small ones–feeling and sensing my way through while giving thanks and asking for guidance and blessing.

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 27, 2008 at 08:57 and is filed under Faith & Practice, Journal. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.