Series 2 - Lesson 8 - Annotation 6
Why is it unwise to wait for a great consciousness of faith before using faith at all?
6. It is unwise to wait for a great consciousness of faith before using faith at all, because our faith is expanded and strengthened as we use it, in all departments of our thinking and doing. We attain a greater consciousness of faith as we use the faith that we are aware of at the moment we need to exercise it. Since faith is one of man's twelve mental faculties or spiritual powers, he has all the faith that he can possibly need or use, but his consciousness of it needs to be expanded and strengthened. It is through our vision and our use that our consciousness of faith growe into a great expression of faith.
All through the Bible we find records of the great things done by the men of God, and always we find that they used what they had in hand and thanked God for it and it was increased. The Bible is full of God's promises, but there is always something for man to do in order to receive the blessings mentioned in the promises. God must work through man, the man must develop the consciousness through which this work can be done, and he does this with his thinking and feeling, through prayer, affirmation and denial, meditation, and right living. Keeping his mind stayed on God, man uses the God-powers which are his divine heritage.
One cannot gain a great consciousness of faith unless he begins to use the small faith that he seems to be expressing at the beginning of his awakening. We know that a grain of mustard seed is very small, but it is also very prolific, and it can bring forth abundantly when planted under right conditions in rich soil, because it has within it all the elements, the God-ideas, it needs for its fulfillment.
As we recognize, accept, and begin to use the God-qualities, the spiritual powers, the divine ideas that are ours, our consciousness of faith grows. Our praise, our interest, and our attention, given to them, attract the substance that causes them to become active in us, because we are using the power that we have to bring them forth in abundant manifestation and measure.
As an example, we can think of what an athlete has to do to his muscles, in order for him to remain a fine, strong, capable athlete. In the same way, we have to use our faculty of faith positively and constructively, because it is in the constant use that our consciousness of faith grows and grows and grows. Praise God!
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Preceding Entry: How is a consciousness of faith in God, the good, developed?
Following Entry: What results are obtained by man when he uses faith and love together?
