1360. Fully Alive: Feeling One with Christ By Anne Hinton Pratt · November 17, 2021, from Meridian Magazine
This is all about being full of joy and happiness!
Fully Alive: Feeling One with Christ
Cover image: Yongsung Kim, “Seeds of Joy,” https://havenlight.com/.
If your inner self were a landscape, how would it look? Green lush valleys, beautiful waterfalls, and majestic mountaintops? or dry barren wasteland?
Have you ever wondered how your life would look if you were FULLY alive?
Potential Privileges in This Life and Beyond
In the scriptures we get phrases that describe the feelings and blessings that come to us when we ascend to this high “mountaintop.” Here are a few:
[We can be]“filled with that joy which is unspeakable and full of Glory.”[1]
“He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh”[2]
“…their souls were illuminated by the light…”[3]
“…the Holy Spirit of God did come down from heaven, and did enter into their hearts, and they were filled as if with fire…”[4]
When we feel illuminated, expanded, or filled with the “fire” of the spirit, we can KNOW we are feeling God’s presence, but what is more important to know is it is possible to “dwell” in that place most of the time, as soon as we are ready…
Living Fully Alive
A few years ago, I met a woman who was one of the most joyfully “alive” people I’ve ever met! I was in Juarez, Mexico, and began a conversation with a Non-denominational Christian missionary in her 50’s from Austria. My interest peaked as we had the following (although condensed) conversation:
“How long have you been a missionary here?”
“I’ve been here thirty years!” (At that time Juarez was the one of the most dangerous places on earth for women).
“How did you end up in Juarez, Mexico?
“God sent me here!”
“How are you funded?”
“I rely only on what God gives me. He takes care of all my needs!” (She lived simply, with no telephone, no television, no Internet) She continued:
“Whenever I need money, it just seems to come in varied and miraculous ways.”
I was stunned, and in awe. Finally, I inquired,
“So…what is your motivation to make this huge sacrifice?” She simply said:
“I just want to help people love Jesus!”
What a pure and noble spirit!
She told me that she was like a fish under water that swims around freely and joyfully, never feeling the effect of the storms above. It didn’t matter what the headlines were, she wasn’t aware of them. All she knew was the love of God, and she had been sharing that for 30 years with everyone she met. Her life was completely powered by Christ and His grace. As we talked about Jesus, I knew He was the most real person in her life. She radiated pure joy!
She learned one of the “mysteries of Godliness,” which is that when we focus on Christ, he directs our lives and gives us light and transcendent joy.
The Freedom to Be Changed
Recently Sydney Miles shared her profound transformation. She went from darkness into light-filled realms; from the valley of shadow to high mountaintops. She writes,
“Three years in the LDS addiction recovery program helped lift me out of the lifelong belief that I could change someone else… and what freedom it has brought me!
I revel in the joy and light of my Savior – the One who can lift and change anyone!
I have never been so happy in my entire life, the weight of the world has been lifted from my shoulders and I now know that my MISSION is to SPREAD LIGHT, to share my JOY – to be a Sunbeam for HIM!! A conduit of His glorious radiant love. Life has become so simple and easy as a result.”[5]
Sydney learned to change her focus and became spiritually awakened. So can we…
Spiritual Awakening
Elder F. Enzio Buche taught the profound principle that,
“We alone decide where it is that we stand on the continuum between total frustration and complete fullness of joy. Nothing can happen that will allow us to progress on that continuum until we come to a state of spiritual awakening and learn to become honest with ourselves, thus allowing the Light of Christ to be felt.”[6]
Our choice to focus on His light will make all the difference…
The Jungle of our Thoughts- Higher is Better
The scriptures tell us that “…we are MADE ALIVE in Christ because of our faith…”[7] The truth is, faith is ALWAYS positive. “Higher thoughts,” elevate us to higher places.
So we might ask, how “high” are my thoughts?
When we navigate through the jungle of our thoughts into God’s realm, it’s astounding the light that can permeate our souls! He has said,
“And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things.”[8]
It is an interesting and deeply profound concept that solely by FEELING our way to God, we can be transported into His Presence! We have His PROMISE. He said, WHEN we focus solely on Him, our bodies WILL be filled with light!
Am I Alive in Christ?
So the question is, “Do I feel alive?
Christ is a Being of joy, love, and peace. When we harmonize our mind and soul with Him, we can feel those emotions because He shares who He is with us!
Only He can put the “fire” back in our bones, “make [our] wilderness like Eden and [our] deserts like the garden of the Lord;”[9] and give intense joy to our souls. The more we focus on Christ and His light, the greener and more consistent our inner fields will feel.
Who would YOU be if you were fully alive? Are you ready?
You Can Contact me at annehpratt@hotmail.com
Comments