How to Recognize the Spirit Within You

“Going Within”

Written By Rev. Jack R. Elliott, Author and Spiritual Life Coach |

New Thought philosopher Ernest Holmes poses this question: “How can we expect to realize God (Spirit) in the emptiness of space if we have refused to see God in those we meet?  And how can we find God in those we meet and in the events that transpire around us unless we have first discovered God (Spirit) at the center old our being?”

Dear Rev. Jack, I believe that God exists and I know that I’m supposed to “see the God in others” and I’m okay with that. It seems compassionate and kind; but when someone else says that they see the God in me–well that feels wrong to me. I want to believe that God works through me, exists within me, but how do I know that it’s so? – Deb

Dear Deb, Ernest Holmes would say, it is only when we awaken to the idea that God is within each and every one of us that we can be open to seeing God working through everything and everyone around us. Therefore, if you see it in others, then you are at least open to the possibility (idea) that God does indeed work through you and does indeed exist within your total being.

I’m going to give you a task. Write down the name of five people who you admire.  They can be dead or alive; famous or not-so-famous. Then, I want you to write down at least five adjectives that describe why you admire each person. When completed, you’ll have at least 25 adjectives, and it’s perfectly alright if some words repeat. For example, one of my high school students chose Mother Theresa as one of the people she admired and she picked the adjectives; dedicated, thoughtful, self-sacrificing, compassionate, and loving to describe her.

Once you’ve selected all five people, and have written the adjectives to describe each of them, I want you to circle any of the words that repeat. Perhaps you’ll notice that you used an adjective such as “loving” to describe three of your heroes or heroines. Here’s how your list might look:

[Example Graph]

Now, I’m going to ask you to finish the following sentence stem by inserting at least five of the words that repeated themselves when you described your hero or heroine. Here is an example using the graphic above:

“I am loving, compassionate, determined, faithful, and self-sacrificing”

Once you’ve written your sentence, read your sentence over and over again. That sentence is the demonstration of God working through you, and existing within your total being. You see Deb, you would not be able to see it in others if it were not true for you. What you admire in others–the adjectives that you’d use to describe the gifts that others possess–are the gifts that God (Spirit) has bestowed upon you.

You are indeed an example of God’s best work. And if you find yourself “being human,” and forgetting “who you are” for a moment, return to your sentence stem and say it aloud. Say it daily, hourly or with every breath–just say it until you believe it!

Thanks, Rev. Jack

Rev. Jack R. Elliott is the President of Heart and Soul Center of Light in Oakland, CA.  He was ordained in 1985 as a Religious Science Minister with the Center of Spiritual Living (Science of Mind/Religious Science).