Editorial March 1, 1993 Issue

More than inspiration

Richard C. Bergenheim

Sometimes inspiration is not enough. In the practice of Christian healing it's important to realize that inspiration simply opens the door of thought to the realm of spiritual ideas. It can be a grand view of the universe of Spirit, but the Christian must appropriate these ideas to experience their reality. For example, the children of Israel were inspired by the idea that Moses shared with them of a Promised Land but that liberating idea needed to be acted on to be achieved.

A good proportion of the disappointment many experience with prayer can be laid to ignorance of this fact. Many people, through meditation, prayer, spiritual study or reading, experience what might be called "a spiritual high." The cares, problems, or pains of life fade. One may experience a great sense of light, of joy and peace. But then many return to "reality," so to speak, with nothing changed except for a fading rosy buzz of spiritual awareness in the back of consciousness. In many ways the experience just described may have more to do with Orientalism and some other modes of religious thought than with genuine Christianity. It also illustrates some of the frustrations many who are involved in new field of mind/body research experience.

As Christ Jesus revealed the actual presence of God's kingdom, as he made known the fact that the reign of divine power is at hand, his disciples and followers began acting from the basis that what he said was true. To them what they heard was not simply inspiring, it was the truth. In proportion to their understanding of what Jesus taught, they were able to act upon it, to prove it. This helps us see that Christianity is not escapism, or mind over matter. Rather it is the power of Christ, Truth, transforming human experience, bringing it into accord with spiritual reality.

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