Putting God Under An Umbrella

I recently had a discussion with a friend about the healing work that I do. She is a dear friend that lives far away, and I was sharing some of the miracles and experiences that I have seen through this healing work, helping her via phone with some areas in her own life and within her family that are giving her trouble right now. She is a devout Christian whose husband was a minister for many years, and although they are no longer in the ministry, they are still very devoted to their church.

We were discussing how positive thought is essentially Faith. When you have fears and worry, or allow negative thoughts to permeate your thinking, it is in some ways a lack of faith. I told her more about Reiki and its basis in unconditional love (God-love, as I sometimes call it), and allowing that energy to come through and heal. We also discussed The Secret, The Moses Code, and other current "law of attraction" topics and I explained how each is actually about faith...where you put your faith determines what you will get, what you create. If you put your thoughts (and therefore your faith) into believing or fearing that something negative is going to come your way, that's what you will receive - because that's where your faith is...in the negative occurence. If you let go and expect the positive, that's what you will receive instead. Letting go is a sign of surrendering to faith. Let Go and Let God is a common cliche among religious followers, yet so many of us never truly do that. We have our own ideas of how things are supposed to be and never surrender to the unknown, the road less traveled.

My friend agreed with many of these concepts but also explained that, in order to satisfy her conscience, she needed to "make it fit under her umbrella of God". I explained to her that doing so was fine and that I understood her need, as long as she could also respect that others might be under a different umbrella, and following their own conscience for what God is or is not. We should respect their similar need to find what resonates with them. That seemed a bit harder for her to grasp or agree to, perhaps because of the Christian edict to save others and lead them to Jesus.

After our conversation, I pondered the statement about making it fit under her umbrella of God, and it occurred to me that that is exactly how we so often approach God. We decide what He/She/It is, then find ways to make everything fit under our definition...things that don't fit, we simply ignore, no matter how wondrous they might be. In doing so, we are reducing God from His magnificence to a confined space under our umbrella. We are creating God in our image, then forcing Him to fit into our very defined boundaries. When we limit God to our standards, we limit so much of the wonder and so many miraculous experiences. Until we can open our hearts, our souls, our minds to all of the limitless possibilities of God, we cannot have a true and full experience with Him. In some ways, it is like failing Him.

I do know that my friend's heart is sincerely wanting to serve and experience God, and I have faith that she will look beyond the umbrella to see a bright blue sky and sunshine that is beyond its shadows...beyond the limits of a superficial shelter. From reading this, I hope that you will look beyond your own umbrella and open yourself to new possibilities. There is a whole new world out there, just waiting for each of us to lay down our self-imposed restrictions and embrace it. It reveals a rainbow of faith that tells us to put down our umbrellas and trust that the storm is over, that there are brighter and better things ahead, that we can experience more if we will only allow it.