I spent a good part of my life watching other people accomplish things that I only wished for. I believed they had something I did not, so what came easy for them was impossible for me.

In school, I never tried out for anything because I was positive I'd fail. That included skipping tryouts for choir because I was sure they would hate my voice. I never even bothered with the SATs because college??? Come on! I struggled in high school, how could I possibly do any better in college?

As a young adult I took a job working for my aunt. I didn't believe I could enter the job world on my own.

During this time in my life I would have told you I had faith in God. But I also believed that I was so insignificant that God never noticed me. True, I may garner his favor on the rare occasion, but that was probably on accident. I still believed that most of the time I was on my own.

I didn't understand that without faith in myself, I could not have faith in God.

This is problematic because without faith in ourselves, we don't trust inspiration. We won't act on our bright ideas or take those opportunities that present themselves to us.

Without faith in ourselves, we don't believe in what's possible, because we don't trust our inner guidance enough to take action. We're more likely to view inner guidance as wishful thinking.

Signs you may not have faith in yourself:

• Feel the need to be rescued.
• Believe others can accomplish great things, but you cannot.
• More focused on others living up to their potential than you are of living up to your own.
• Settle for what you know you can do, rather than what you dream of.

And you will know the truth, and that very truth will make you free.

You are like what you come from. This is a spiritual and creative likeness (not a physical one). You are designed to be a creator. And those greater forces that put you here in the first place are always working on your behalf, through you, for you, as you.

The truth makes you free because with faith in yourself, and faith in what works through you, anything is possible.

When we have faith in ourselves we are more likely to act on divine direction and follow through on inspiring ideas. We'll not only act on opportunities that present themselves, but take action to create opportunities for ourselves!

I'm paraphrasing Alan Watts here, but with faith in ourselves, we trust ourselves in the water. We don't have to trust the water to hold us up, for it won't. If we grasp at the water, we'll sink. We trust ourselves, and we swim, or at the very least, we float!

Big, big Love, Rev. Deanna

#BigFaithBigLife

At Unity of Yucaipa we recognize God as the Source of our supply. If you were inspired by this blog, and would like to act for God on behalf of Unity, please consider donating here. Thanks!