Eric Butterworth Speaks: Essays on Abundant Living #78
Delivered by Eric Butterworth on September 15, 1975
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We are living in an amazing age. Things are happening so rapidly in the field of science and discovery that we read the papers in the morning to see what amazing development has come forth in the night. When we think of what has happened in the past 30 years, not the least of which is the landing on the moon, we wonder where we are going and what the ultimate may be. Most scientists believe that we just on the threshold of discoveries that will make all press in science over the long history of man to now pale into insignificance. Though some observers feel that man becomes inconspicuous before all the great developments in science, I think that when man can release such tremendous forces, why can we not also release from within ourselves the spiritual power to erase the darkness of fear and war and sickness and lack.
Jesus taught, “The Kingdom of God is within you.” In other words, there are limitless possibilities within every person, but we must look within to find them. The average person chafes at the sight of waste of any sort. Yet the saddest waste in the world is the millions of people who drag their way through life...with the infinite capacity to do and be lying dormant within them.
A man may be hypnotized and suspended horizontally by his head and his ankles on the edge of two chairs, not only staying in that rigid position, but even supporting one or two heavy men on his body. This same man could not be made to believe that he could do such a thing, and yet under the powerful suggestion of the hypnotist he can do it easily. Where does the power come from? Certainly not from the hypnotist, nor from anything outside the man. The power is latent within the man himself.
There are forces of health and life and creativity within every person. It is probably true that someone may pass from this life with enough healing life latent in the billions of cells in the body to restore them to life. This could be a clue to those instances when Jesus actually raised people from the dead. That latent power responded to the power of His word and regenerated the mind and body to newness of life. This may be difficult to believe...but it is one explanation.
There are multitudes of people today — the man on the street, the person across from you on the subway, your own husband or wife, or perhaps even you — who go through life feeling insufficient, believing that they do not have what it takes to be successful, who have forces slumbering within them which, if they could only be awakened, would enable them to do amazing, if not miraculous, things. And...if we can accept this premise, that there is tremendous power lying dormant within each of us, power to achieve, power to revitalize and heal, power to transform our lives...then why does it remain dormant? What is it that inhibits its expression?
Jesus says, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness...” Righteousness means the constructive use of thought. Because the Kingdom of God is the realm of Mind...it is negative and destructive thought that inhibits man’s inner power. The culprits are negative states such as fear, envy, hatred, worry, grief, tension, and assorted other destructive uses of mind.
How can we release this inner power? There is one thrilling moment in the development of some power project, such as a great hydro-electric dam, or an atomic reactor, when someone throws the switch and the potential power becomes actual power. That is what we are interested in for ourselves...how to make our potential inner power practical and real. It could be said, and has been said by many great mystic teachers through aeons of time that this latent power within man is best released through three channels: faith, hope, and love. Three great circuits by which man’s spiritual power may be mobilized and released.
It is said that one cannot achieve anything without faith. Jesus said it first, “All things are possible to them that believe.” And...”According to your faith be it done unto you.” We often talk about the “power of faith.” But there is no power in faith, nor does faith create power. It is simply a channel through which a potentiality of power becomes an actual power. For too long faith has been the sole property of religion. It has been used purely in connection with God. But our faith in God is not complete until and unless we have faith in ourselves. Man is created in the image and likeness of God. Even as God is power, God is love, and God is life, so in the highest sense of his spiritual potential man is also all of this. Thus every person must affirm for himself: “I am power, I am love, I am life.” God is, therefore I am!
Hope is a dynamic and very important aspect of the release of power. We are told “hope springs eternal in the human breast.” This hope is the vague intimation that we always feel that no matter how low we sink or how dark the way, there is something more for us, something greater in us.
We are much like Pandora. Remember how in the Greek myth she was sent by Zeus and the other gods to be the wife of Prometheus. She took with her a beautiful and mysterious box which she had been warned not to open. But curiosity and doubt grew in the mind of Pandora as to what the box contained...if anything. Her restlessness grew until she decided to ignore the warning. She opened the box and all that it contained escaped...all except hope.
Like Pandora we come into the world endowed with the possibilities of enjoying all the blessings of life. Through doubt and lack of appreciation and dissatisfaction we allow all our blessings to seep away...until, like Pandora, there is nothing remaining except hope. Of course, and this is the great message of the myth, hope never deserts us. Encouraged, hope takes away frustration and brings inspiration. Through hope we act differently, we feel differently. And we fear no tomorrow. There is that within us which is always saying, “There is always hope!”
Finally, the channel for release of our inner power is love. Remember in Paul’s immortal treatist on love (I Cor. 13:) he says, But now abideth faith, hope, and love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.” It is the nature of man to express love. Many of the emotional and even physical disturbances in man’s life come because, against the urging of the inner man, we inhibit the flow of love. We force ourselves to hate even when we want to be friends. We resist even when we want to accept. Love is the great power of God in action. Love your job and you release great inspiration and creativity into it. Love life and you become successful within life. Love those who despite-fully use you and you actually release a protecting power...but what is more important you release the power that dissolves all hate and resistance within them. Thus love heals and blesses and changes everything it contacts. No one is ever quite himself except when he is expressing love.
There is infinite power within you to do or be that which you desire to do or become. An eminent psychologist once said, “Man is a living, growing creature. Only in the fulfillment of the promises of his nature is joy ever his.” Certain it is that we can never find real joy or contentment until we come to know and to release something of this transcendent power within. You have this flow of power within you...no matter that you have inhibited its flow and have lived a life of frustration. It need not come to you from God outside, or from any other agency. The power within you is God within you. It is God flowing forth as you. Identify with it...and use it.
While great discoveries are increasingly being made in the world around you...keep on the quest of the discovery of the reality of limitless power within you. It is the greatest power in the Universe...the power to be that which you are created to be.
© 1975, by Eric Butterworth
