The Universe’s Intention and You | Rev. John Riley

Well, in this past week, were you met with a challenge? Were you met with some argument, some disagreement? Were you met with something that just didn’t seem right? Well today, we’re going to look at what we need to do to walk through that because today we are discovering and finding spiritual wholeness by living on purpose. 

Good morning everyone and welcome. We’ve been going on this journey of finding wholeness using the book by Dr. Gary Simmons, The I Of The Storm, Embracing Conflict and Creating Peace. And in this book, he talks about this third aspect of wholeness and that is purpose, of us living on purpose, of living into our purpose. 

What Does Purpose Mean?

So, what does purpose really mean? Well, this is what Gary says about purpose. The purpose is the universe’s intention to be, through you, the presence of God. The universe’s intention to be, through you, the presence of God. Well, is that all there is to it? Okay you guys got this. We’re good? We can go to the beach? Okay, maybe not. I mean that is a pretty big sentence. It’s only the universe. It’s only God that’s trying to live through us and have his existence and experience through us and to express through us. It’s not a big hurdle, is it? This idea of purpose is, when you net down to it, that’s really what it is. 

So, let’s break it down a little bit. Let’s talk about what we mean by purpose and living on purpose. I think there are a couple of different ways in which we can look at this idea. The first way is to live on purpose, live through the purpose of our being. What is it that we are here to do? Well, in this last few weeks, we have been in the process of awakening, awakening to that idea of our oneness with Spirit, our common union with Spirit, knowing that God is everywhere present. As Jho said, Unity teaches that God is everywhere present, that there is only God, that God is it. There’s no competing force. Rather, there is just us, pushing away, pushing back on that union, on that oneness with Spirit. And so, when we understand our common union with God, that Spirit moves in, through and as us. That Spirit is everywhere present and not hidden in us, not buried deep within us, as the fairytale goes, but rather it’s the allness of us, which sometimes is even harder to find than that which is buried all the way within us. The allness of us, that goodness, that spark within us that is untouched, that is pure. And as we become aware of that union with God, we become aware of how what we do changes our life. We become aware of the common union that we have with each other, that you and I share on an ongoing basis. It’s that spark within us, that place within us that’s untouched. That’s our common union, that place of God that works in, through and as us. And so, as we become aware of that and you really tune in to that, align ourselves with that. Sometimes it takes a little letting go. Sometimes it takes a little forgiveness work. Sometimes it takes a little realignment in the moment, but as we do it, we begin to see it out-picture itself. We begin to see God in the world. We begin to see the expression of that beautiful oneness in the world around us. 

Awakening

So, we’re in the process of awakening and in that process we’re also in the process of shifting our lens. As we begin to see that presence and power at work in our lives, we begin to shift our lens from our vision of lack and limitation, from our vision of the challenges, and the arguments and the frustrations in our life. From putting, we shift our vision from putting that — normally we have that magnifying glass on that missing puzzle piece within us. We have that magnifying glass on all of those experiences that we’ve had this last week that we would consider to be anything other than God. And yet, when we shift our vision and take the broader picture, we can look around that missing puzzle piece and see the beauty all around us, see the beauty that’s in us, see all of the good that is in our lives and be grateful, be thankful, be drawing upon those inner resources. And when we draw upon those inner resources, we can look at that missing puzzle piece whether that’s in a relationship, in our bodies, in our experience in life. Maybe there’s some frustration and we’re just not seeing it yet. Maybe we need a little road trip to get a broader perspective. And when we get that broader perspective, we can look at that missing puzzle piece and then imagine what the possibilities are. We begin to see through a different lens and now we can see that there’s greater possibilities of what I thought was missing. We can see how we can grow into that missing puzzle piece. We can see how we can create something beautiful and expansive, and joyful by changing and shifting the lens and seeing through a spiritual lens. 

And when we begin to become aware of our oneness and express our common union through communion, through that idea of meditation and prayer with God, through that idea of seeing the good in other people, of holding someone else in the energy, the harmonizing energy, holding someone else with compassion, holding someone else in our hearts, in silent prayer, uplifting them and seeing them for that spark of divinity that is within them, we begin to uplift people from that perspective, then we’re able to really shift and then we’re at the point where we’re ready. We are ready to begin putting our sacred worth into action, ready to bring those new possibilities into reality. 

Living On Purpose

And that’s what living on purpose is all about. It’s about really sinking into that idea that you are a sacred being, that you were born with sacred worth, that you were born in the image, the spiritual image, and likeness of God, and that you’re here to express that divine nature. You are here to do the sacred work. As Jesus said, “All of these things that I have done you will do, and even greater things that you will do”. There’s another term that also gets us back on our heels and says “Oh wait a minute. That sets the bar pretty high”. So, when we think about our purpose — you know, some people have this idea “This is my purpose in life. I’m here to stop global trafficking of young women. I’m here to create an environment where everyone can see each other through the lens of Spirit. I’m here to teach spiritual practices. I’m here to develop and create the next best thing on the internet”, whatever that next best thing is. Some of us have these ideas of “This is what I’m here to do”. I might be here to help someone realize their goals. And when we look at that, that idea of purpose of the things that we’ve come here to do, the things that are bubbling up for us, we can look at it as a goal, something that brings us joy, something that uplift us, and something that uplifts the world, something that raises us up. And I think that’s the key is to remember that we are here to raise us up, each one of us. I’m here to raise you up. You are here to raise me up. We are here to raise each other up, ourselves up and to create things that are beautiful, to create things that are in alignment with this idea of Spirit, to create things that are in alignment with this idea of love, of Divine love, of infinite wisdom, all of those attributes that we net down to that word called God, that word called God. God isn’t up there somewhere, isn’t a separate being from us, rather it’s the allness of the universe. And now we’re ready to really live into that purpose. 

Let God Help You

Myrtle Fillmore is a co-founder of the Unity movement and she, back in the late 1800’s, to me she’s the heart of Unity. While Charles was the was the mind and really intellectual and liked to really identify all the metaphysical terms of how we can interpret the Bible and how we can use metaphysics in our lives, Myrtle Fillmore was really the heart-centered metaphysician where she led from her heart and she lived from her heart. And she often wrote letters to people. She was always communicating to people whether they were looking for friendship, whether they were looking for teachings, whether they were looking for healing. She was always writing letters to help support them along their spiritual journey. That was really her ministry, was supporting people along that. And somewhere along the line people found the letters and thought “You know, this would make a good book”. One of the books that they wrote was the book How To Let God Help You. What an incredible title. How To Let God Help You. So often, we are thinking “Where is God in this situation? If God is good and omnipotent, and God is love then where is all that in this relationship? Where is all that in the situation? Where is that in my body?” 

And it’s there. That’s the answer. It’s already there because God is everywhere present, the allness of God. But we have to let it help us. You have to let it work through us and the very first chapter she entitles, The Purpose of Living. “The real purpose of your life is to express the creation of God, to unfold the many departments of your mind”. To unfold the many departments of your mind, the creativity that, the inspiration that comes to you. So, if you have an idea that comes up, if you have an idea that is good and worthy, a thought that might lift someone up and lift yourself up in the process, it’s worthy of putting your attention to. A lot of these ideas spring forth from that idea of creation and then we get to take them and turn them into, manifest them, and turn them into our creations, whatever it is that we want to create in our life. When we are aligned with our common unity with God, when we are aligned with that Divine essence, that beauty, that love that’s within us, when we’re in alignment with that common unity with each other and when we’re seeing the lens through — seeing our life, rather, through the lens of that that spiritual living, that clear spiritual vision, that we’re here to see the world rightly, we are able to bring forth creativity and amazing things that are in alignment with it, that uplift people and inspire us, that help us live a more productive life, that help us in our day-to-day mundane activities. So to live a purposeful life is to put that common unity first, to put that idea that this is what is most important, that common unity. 

Through seminary and through classes that I took, one of the net-net of the Bible if you will, our Bible teachers would say, if you can sum up this whole book, the whole purpose of this is to put God first. That’s reflected in Jesus’ saying the number one commandment is to love God with all of your heart. Knowing that God, or having that idea that God isn’t that being out there somewhere else, that Francis favors sometimes but, rather, God is the allness of the universe, God is the allness of wisdom. To align with that, to love that within our hearts, to allow that to be present in our lives, to take that common unity and make it our first priority, to remember it in these situations. 

Seeing Through the Eyes of Love and Wisdom

Next, we see through the eyes of love and wisdom. We can see the world and our creation through the eyes of love and wisdom. If it’s something that’s going to lift everyone up, then it’s got to be filled and infused with those ideas. It’s got to have that energy behind it so that it can be in alignment with our ever-evolving consciousness. And then to live a purposeful life and to live with purpose. 

So, here’s the other aspect of this idea of living on purpose. When you wake up in the morning, have an intention. Set an intention. Set an intention to live simply by seeing our common unity, to live through the lens of spiritual living and then to create that which we are here to create. Now, in all of our interactions, we may go back this last week and think about all of the challenges we had, all of the arguments that we had, all of the disagreements. We might look at all of the things that we were experiencing in our body. Maybe we have some condition. Maybe we have a diagnosis. We could look at all of the things that we could separate as not being of God and look at them a little differently. Look at them with spiritual vision. Look at them as, “Where’s the lesson for me? Where’s the possibility in this missing puzzle piece?” In any situation, we can draw upon this creative power within us and draw upon this Divine wisdom that’s always available to us by simply presencing ourselves and asking “What is mine to do in this situation?” You may not have a giant goal or great purpose that you experience but every day and every moment you can be living into that purpose of expressing that beautiful, divine, individualized expression that you are, in the mundane, in the things that are uncomfortable, in the things that are different, that cause fear, that cause stress and anger. When you see that bubbling up, take a moment, ground yourself, and then ask “What is mine to do? What is mine to do to bring forth something that’s beautiful? What is mine to do to bring forth an expression and experience of the Divine, to bring forth a kind word, to help somebody? What’s mine to do to establish inner peace in this moment so that I can establish peace in this conversation, amidst the conflict, without brushing the conflict aside?” without making it wrong, without saying “You’re wrong and I’m right”. Just by being there, so that we can see things through a different view. We can both see that missing puzzle piece with new possibilities. That would be a beautiful purpose in that moment. 

Now, we all have mundane things that we do during the day. Whether it’s doing the dishes, doing the clothes, weeding, whether it’s writing your bills or whatever it is, whatever you’re doing during the day, do it purposefully. Bring to it that sense of wonder and possibility. Bring to it that sense of you know, “I’m in the flow. I’m cleansing my dishes. I’m pulling the weeds”, whatever it is that we’re doing that’s mundane, that’s everyday, “I’m driving on the road”, well, do it mindfully. This is where mindfulness is a great practice for us. It’s a great practice to bring us back into this present moment. It’s a great practice for us to remember that we are one with the universe and all that’s in it, that our consciousness is one, that we are here to uplift our consciousness and therefore uplift the consciousness of the planet. So, in everything that we’re doing today, we can put God first. 

The Presence of God

Myrtle Fillmore goes on to say, “Here in the silence, we shall know the presence of God and see clearly just how we are to go about living the life that is given to us so that we may bring forth order, beauty and freedom that is planned and that are awaiting our understanding use.” It’s not like it’s not there, it’s just waiting for us to attune to it, to understand how to put it into action. So, whatever goals that you’re holding on to, whatever purpose that you feel that you have or dreams that you have in your life, whatever inspiration that comes to you, whether it’s during the mundane things in life, whether it’s during a conflict, whether it’s in the middle of grieving a loss, allow yourself to be there, to be present to whatever situation there is, and to allow that order, that beauty, that wisdom, that freedom to be created through you, as you. 

I’d like to go to our affirmation. I’ll invite you to just take a moment, to relax, to turn within. I’ll read the affirmation once and then I will invite you to affirm it with me. 

With intention, I focus on my purpose and allow wisdom and love to guide my way. 

Would you affirm that with me? Together: 

With intention, I focus on my purpose and allow wisdom and love to guide my way. 

With a nice deep breath, we say, and so it is. Amen. 

You know, a great example I experienced yesterday was my daughter’s final dance performance for the year through our local dance company. And we couldn’t be indoors, but they found a way to do it through an outdoor amphitheater. Let me set the stage for you. It was a beautiful 80-degree weather in the sun. The makeshift stage is in the sun. The stage is hot and a lot of time — sometimes they’re wearing shoes, sometimes not, their bare feet — and they have these polyester dance costumes. Some of them did. I don’t know if you’ve ever worn polyester back in the seventies or whenever they were excited. Those things don’t breathe. They are so hot. So, these poor girls and teachers and – well, I won’t say poor parents because I sat there and I enjoyed every single moment of it — I’m sure they were uncomfortable. I’m sure they were complaining, but when the time came for them to perform every one of them showed up. From the itty-bitties doing tap or doing jazz, you know that move. It’s like me dancing, you know, those little tiny five-year-olds. They all showed up. They all did their thing. They may have been a little tired. There was one little girl just running around the stage, to the seniors, to the juniors, to everyone in the performance teams, in the company. They were performing to their fullest. They showed up. In the moment, they were there to live that purpose of expressing that beauty through dance, of expressing and articulating what was theirs to articulate, however they interpreted it, to be that shining light. And they did it with ease and grace and it was just such a beauty to behold. So, there’s a great example of how we can see the beauty and live into our purpose even in uncomfortable situations, even when things are a little stressed because you know life isn’t going to be perfect all the time, however we define perfect. As soon as we say it’s going to be good or bad, we’re judging it and there’s going to be some in each bucket, there are going to be challenges.

And so, next week our focus is going to be the fourth aspect of wholeness and that’s the tool that we can use in the moment of the discomfort. To still be in that consciousness of union, to still be in that and to seek, to find the possibilities, to find the common solutions, and to bring forth our own inner beauty, order and freedom so that we can create that in our world. So, join us next week for that.