Many of us remember the story from the New Testament of the healing of the Centurion’s Servant. The Centurion had come to Jesus because he knew Jesus had the power to heal. The Centurion asked for the healing of his servant. Not feeling that he was worthy to have Jesus at his house, the Centurion said, “speak but your word and my servant will be healed.” Jesus let him know immediately that his faith had healed his servant, “…Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee.” And the story says that,  “his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.“

Is it that easy? I believe that it is. The moment we accept the truth of that thing we are wanting to demonstrate, it IS. We might not see the manifestation right there, but the spiritual prototype has been set. It is done in the Mind, and once it is done in the Mind it has to come forth into form. Faith is that thing which makes a belief so.

We are in the middle of Hanukkah right now, and I am reminded of the story of the everlasting oil that burned in the temple. The Jewish people needed oil to rededicate their temple after it desecration by an invading nation. They only had enough oil for one day, but instead of giving up, they believed that this small amount of oil would have to do. There temple would be cleansed and rededicated. And, “as they believed, so it was done unto them.” The oil lasted for eight days.

Belief is a deep knowing of something. Faith is an understanding and acceptance of Divine Law that allows our belief to move into form. We can say we have a belief, but it is our faith in that belief that makes us whole.

Before the Centurion asked Jesus for the healing he had already accepted it in faith. Before the Jewish people lit the small amount of oil, believing in the consecration of their temple, they had accepted their belief with faith.

So how does this apply to us? Well, for me, I want to know first of all what do I believe? Do I say I believe in peace? If so, do I have the faith in spite of everything that might seem contrary to know that it is already so? Am I living peace in thought and action. If not, I really don’t believe it. If I do, I would go out and be that peace, live that peace.

Another example would be prosperity. This is a time when many of us are taxed in that area. There are expectations during the Holidays for us to spend beyond our means. What do we do? Some of us go into debt. I used to be that type of person. For me, debt was caused by putting myself beyond my beliefs. Now I have a belief that what I can give from right where I am is sufficient. I give, not to get back, but because in giving from right where I am, I am having faith in my own prosperity. It’s why I tithe. Because I can. I can because I believe there is always more coming to me. That is the practice of my belief as faith.

It takes practice to make a belief more than a belief. It takes faith to practice. It is not enough to just say I believe. It must be accompanied by faith. The way we will know if we have that faith is if we are willing to step out into the world and act from our belief.

It is done unto us as we believe because there is a Law of Attraction that brings things to us, but only by bringing them through us. Our belief begins the energy, our faith gathers everything to us to make it so.  I am grateful for this truth in my life. I know it works for all of us.

Love and Aloha,

Rev. Rita