Be Alert, Be One

Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. 1 Peter 5:8-9 NRSV

When I was growing up, I was taught that sin included things like drinking alcohol, swearing, smoking and for some in my religious faith, even drinking coffee was considered “sinful”. As I have evolved into my own belief system, I have a much different perspective of sin. MY adversary is anything that separates me from being in alignment with the Holy Spirit, my SOURCE! And that separation means anything that makes me feel less than whole, less than love, less than worthy. Sometimes it’s scolding myself because I ate too much chocolate. Sometimes it’s looking in the mirror and determining that some features are ugly. Sometimes it’s looking outside myself at others and judging their behaviors as unfavorable and “wrong”. Anything that causes me to feel less than pure love for all beings and all things, is a separation from my SOURCE. And THAT I consider my adversary, my devil.

My prayer today is that I may be aware of that separation and draw myself back toward the Spirit so that eventually, I see and feel only oneness with all that is. May every simple day be filled with Oneness!