How I Used Truth - Lesson 11 - Annotation 9
Explain the distinction and relation between "revelation" (text, page 108) and "inspiration" (text, page 112) as used in this lesson.
9. Revelation is the act of uncovering the Truth for acceptance by man (How I Used Truth 108); inspiration is the actual inbreathing of the Truth (How I Used Truth 112). Both are activities of Spirit, in that only Spirit can present the Truth and only Spirit can breathe the Truth (as divine ideas) into the soul of man. We may think of inspiration as that which comes to us through revelation.
The word revelation comes from the Latin revelare, meaning to "unveil"; it is the act of disclosing, making known something that hitherto was not known. Webster's dictionary states that from a theological standpoint it is the "act of revealing or communicating divine truth; that which is revealed by God to man."
"revelation -- An unveiling, a disclosure of Truth, making known that which is hidden. . . .
"Divine revelation is much more common than is understood. The Spirit of truth is revealing the hidden wisdom to thousands on every hand. Poets and writers of Truth are being inspired of the Most High. Quiet citizens in every walk of life are the recipients of the divine word" (The Revealing Word 170).
The word inspiration comes from the Latin inspirare, meaning "to breathe"; it means "to blow or breathe; to infuse into the mind."
"inspiration, spiritual -- An inflow of divine ideas; activity of a spiritual character; understanding that comes from God" (The Revealing Word 107).
Poets sing of the glories of God in nature -- the evidences of His goodness around us, constantly revealing His presence and power in the smallest as well as the greatest of our daily experiences. Yet until we ourselves have the impulse to erase all thoughts and feelings that veil His presence from us, we are not conscious of the Presence and we do not receive inspiration. Anxieties, fears, worries, belief in separation from God (thus from our good) are among the "veils" that prevent our becoming aware of the glory of God in and around us.
"Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not?" (Mark 8:18).
However, once we assert our dominion and authority over all that is inside and outside of ourselves, we begin the "unveiling" of our consciousness. This allows the full import of God, ourselves, and all creation to be presented to our soul.
It is possible to go no further than revelation, that is, to revel in the greatness of God, without making the revelation part of ourselves. When we come to the understanding that God is life, power, love, and substance, our hearts may be lifted up in joy and thanksgiving. However, until we definitely "take" of that which is revealed, we will not have come into "conscious oneness with the Father." When the revelation causes us to "work out our salvation," then we are prepared for the next stage, which is inspiration. When we have let go all mental bondage that would interpose itself between us and our loving Father, we can become so still that Spirit (God) can breathe into us all of the divine ideas that are ours to use in building the "abundant life" of which Jesus spoke. This is inspiration.
When revelation comes, it does not necessarily mean that our soul development is such that we are ready to accept it in its fullness. However, when we reach the stage where inspiration comes to us, we accept and make room in our consciousness for all the good that God has made available to His children. The synonyms for the word inspire are worth considering: "animate; enliven; exalt; move; motivate." Inspiration brings with it a new appreciation of life. We are moved to make the changes that are necessary for the fulfillment of God's will in and through us. Making such changes is part of the working out of our salvation.
Often in our metaphysical study we find that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, is referred to as the Revealer and also the inspirer. Through the action of the Spirit of truth, we are guided to acknowledge what is revealed, and to accept the inspiration of new ideas that will lift our entire life to a higher level. Not only is this the fulfillment of God's will in us (How I Used Truth 110), but it is also on our part the fulfilling of our mission -- the bringing forth of our true identity into visibility, which the text on page 112 states is the working out of our salvation.
To sum up, revelation can be likened to what happens when a hungry man enters a room and sees a table laden with good food. inspiration can be likened to what happens when the man eats of the good and his hunger is satisfied.
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Preceding Entry: What is meant by the Biblical statement, "Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2:5)?
Following Entry: How do we seek directly from the "Fountainhead," and how does its supply come to us?
