Rev. Michael – “Enthusiasm: Our Passport to Awakening”,  excerpted from Agape’s Inner Visions Daily Inspirational Guide, June 12, 2019

Enthusiasm is our passport from the surface to the depths of awakened consciousness. Consider the etymology of the Greek word en + Theos, which means “inspired or possessed by God.”  When we are overtaken by an awareness of this Great Something that breathes our breath, walks through our feet, loves through our heart, communes with Itself in our soul, how can we not enthusiastically, passionately be on fire to enter the holy of holies and taste the ecstasies of awakened consciousness?

Enthusiasm keeps us steadfast during those “I don’t feel like it” moments.  We can’t be half-hearted about enlightenment—meditating, praying, chanting, visioning seven days in a row and then stopping for another month. When we are sincerely enthusiastic, whether our day’s meditation flowered into blossoms of bliss or not, we remain loyal to our practice.

When we are in a consciousness of en-Theos, inspired by Spirit, our nervous system becomes recoded because enthusiasm births inspiration; inspiration births gratitude.  Gratitude opens the floodgates of receiving. Entering its flow, we draw to ourselves all that is required for the next step in our evolutionary process.

Just as a photographer must go into the darkroom to develop his photos, so must we enter the darkroom of our spiritual practices to develop our soul qualities.  As Jesus instructed his followers, “When thou prayest, enter into thy closet…,”  and we all know most closets are dark until we turn on the light.  Our spiritual practices provide that divine illumination.  In this cave of stillness you cultivate the qualities of Spirit that are etched upon your soul.
Then, equipped with a conscious realization of your true nature, even the crash of breaking worlds cannot disturb your equanimity, because you are standing in the unshakable realization that Spirit is, you are, and you are One.