Midweek Faith Lift
October 2, 2024
“Affirmative Prayer Flow 4 & 5”
Rev. Deb Hill-Davis
Spiritual Passages
September 15, 2024
Traffic Stop Paves the Way to New Life -
"Sitting in God's waiting room"
Two years ago, Alabama’s Abbie Rutledge was driving on her way to work when she saw blue lights flashing behind her. But what she didn’t know as she pulled over to the side of the road, is that it would be one of the best things that ever happened to her.
Alabama state trooper J.T. Brown noted that Rutledge was speeding. The 20-year-old replied that she was sorry, didn’t have the money to pay a speeding ticket, and was stuck in a dead-end job. His response? “How about we talk about it?” he asked. The talk went on for about 10 to 15 minutes, just sitting in the car talking about different career choices. The conclusion was that the trooper convinced Rutledge to enroll in nursing school. Two years later, Rutledge is a surgical technician at the University of Alabama Hospital. She loves her job, and credits Trooper Brown with her accomplishment.
"The Mind, once enlightened, cannot again become dark." - Thomas Paine, American founding father and French revolutionist
Affirmative Prayer for Today: Infinite Source illumine my heart, mind and body to the unlimited possibilities that are available to me as I pray. I open to the energy of this flow of prayer as it speaks to me “I can, I have, I know” and my joy is made complete. Amen.
What an amazing story of a young woman and a state trooper in Alabama having a divine appointment with a wonderful outcome! We love these kind of stories and the truth is that many of us have lived these kind of stories where things have unfolded with ease and grace and there is a happily ever after ending…..until there isn’t. Then what?!?!
Well, we may be in God’s waiting room for a bit, so let’s explore what that might look like. We have considered the first three movements of the flow of affirmative prayer and we have come to accept that the energy of prayer changes us, not the conditions or circumstances about which we are praying. The first step was openness of mind, heart and body to spiritual truth, to the energy of Spirit always there for us. Then we move into that “God is” flow to recognize that the energy of Spirit is love, is strength, is wisdom, is healing or whatever the need and we let go of our attachment to lack or fear or doubt. We begin to recognize the energy of Spirit everywhere present. This is a big shift and it may take place in mini-steps or micro movements, especially if it is a prolonged and difficult challenge.
When we move into the third step of the prayer flow, we begin to truly integrate that divine energy into our very “beingness.” This is when we begin to realize the spiritual truth “all that God is, I am also.” I am steadfast power, I am wholeness, I am faith, I am divine wisdom. I recognize and integrate that divine wisdom into all of being. I am wholeness and I recognize and integrate that divine wholeness into all of my being. I am power and I recognize and integrate that Divine power into all of my being. You get the message into every fiber of your mind, body and spirit, deeply planted into your consciousness so that it becomes your “go to” rather than doubt, fear, worry or anxiety or ego. It is a practice, not a product or endpoint…..you practice, practice practice like your gonna play in spiritual Carnegie Hall!!
Now we are ready for manifestation energy, which is the fourth step of the affirmative prayer flow. This is the “A HA!” moment, which is illustrated so clearly in our opening story. Now pause for a breath to consider that we do not know the back story of Abbie Rutledge and what had happened in her life to bring her to this divine appointment. And let us also pause and consider that even as she pursued a career as a surgical nurse technician, there were no doubt challenges along the way. Financial stress, car trouble, family issues, relationship issues and all of what living life fully brings with it. But she had clarity and faith that this was hers to do, and that is what carried her through.
This is the “I realize I can, I have and I know….”all that is needed to move into actualized reality, what we call manifestation, answered prayer or demonstration. Myrtle Fillmore describes it like this in Healing Letters:
This is our method of prayer: acknowledge our oneness with God, claiming the ability that this gives, and expecting to have the things needed and conducive to spiritual progress.
Notice that Myrtle did not say we will get what we want. She says we will have the spiritual maturity and awareness that allows us to recognize our good when it shows up. We have spiritual wisdom that empowers us to discern what is ours to do and we can then choose wisely. Consider Abbie! She did not get rude and mouth off to the officer, she was very honest about her situation and that is the openness that we need. And instead of the standard response of just giving her a ticket, he suggested a conversation during which he just put possibilities before her, and behold, one of them resonated for her and she was in a place of maturity that empowered her to recognize it and take action. That is spiritual consciousness in action!
This spiritually empowered ability to take action, to take the next right step is what this 4th step in the prayer flow process is all about. You are not at the end of your journey, you have just taken the next right step, and then the next. And then perhaps you are once again in God’s waiting room with no clarity on how to proceed. And that is your right and perfect place, even if you don’t like it. Sometimes you won’t like it, but that is not the issue. Affirming the power of faith and feeling that power deep in your soul may be what is the next part of the prayer process for you, especially when clarity is elusive!
Here is how Richard Rohr describes it:
"Some call the times of feeling empty and powerless sitting in 'God’s Waiting Room,' but it is more often known as 'the dark night of the soul.' All we can do is to ask, wait, and trust. God is about to become real. The false or separate self is dying in a major way."
- Richard Rohr, The Stages of Spiritual Development
When we are sitting in God’s waiting room, we find the spiritual power in our powerlessness. We lean into our humanity and our human condition, seeking the spiritual Truth that is also present in that condition. It can seem very dark, and when we ask for prayer, we are asking for others to hold the light so that we can imagine a larger reality where we are healed, or free of pain, or finally at peace with our decisions and the direction we have chosen. I can imagine Abbie had spent some time in that waiting room from the time she left high school to age 21 when the trooper stopped her for going too fast.
And that is what I learned from the retreat I attended last weekend….slow down, Deb and just accept where you are in the healing process, in the pain management process. Just be where you are and observe and listen for the angels and the blessings and the presence of Spirit. You have been trying so hard in your human self to “fix” this chronic pneumonia health situation with lots of frustrations and seeming setbacks. So now is the time to sit still, listen and listen and then listen some more, for God is here in the midst of all of it.
The most powerful message to me in that listening was that I am whole and well right here and now. I have been defining what that should look like and telling God how this should work. The message is to let that go so that Spirit can do Spirit’s perfect work. Practice affirmative prayer, letting go of attachment to outcomes; you will be much more peaceful and happy if you do that. Deb, when you can truly embrace that you “don’t know” then you open to the possibility of what of seeing the health that you do have. This flows to realizing that I have all that I need to heal, and I know that complete healing unfolds in the fullness of time, spiritual time, not Deb’s time! And then there is peace……regardless of outcomes and it is ok to sit in God’s Waiting Room, in faith.
This results then in the fifth step in the flow of the prayer process, which is deep appreciation of the shift in consciousness that has brought me to this place! This process of navigating the medical system, blessing all the medical folks despite their missteps and dropped balls, blessing myself in all the choices I have made, both good and not so good has been my summer spiritual journey. It has me blessing my husband for his patience and tenacity! It has me blessing the Prayer Circle angels who have held me in prayer since the beginning. It has me grateful to learn about ginger, ginger tea and how good that is for my whole system! I appreciate that I have learned about Gabapentin to mitigate nerve pain….and so much more!
As Rev. Linda and DeAnn express this appreciation: I appreciate all that has been revealed and the growth and expansion of my spiritual understanding. I celebrate the deep realization of my spiritual wholeness no matter how I feel or look as I quietly sit in God’s Waiting Room! As the apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans:
Romans 13:12
The night is far spent; the day draws near. Let us cast off deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us live honorably, as in daylight.
Welcome to the dawn!
Blessings and love,
Rev. Deb