Authenticity

Oh Authenticity how I love thee. It is a great thing you know! To just be yourself! When I was doing my quiet time this morning I really had this on my heart. This word just kept popping up in my head and heart. Being back in the states with a different perspective has brought some things to light for me. Like this fast paced world we live in... Have you ever stopped to think or smell the roses? I know that since being back it's been a little bit of a challenge and has taken some discipline, to be mindful of my time with the Lord and in general. It's had me reflecting back on when I was here working and doing life. It wasn't bad but I found myself just going along and doing what the world was doing or what the world was saying to do next. When now that I'm a few years out from living in the states, I can see things in a different light. Like how to be Authentic in this digital world we are living in. We are all searching for our authentic selves. 

Do we really know how to find it though? Do we know who our TRUE selves are?       

Authenticity is just being yourself day by day. Who is the person you spend the most time with? The answer is YOURSELF. That means YOU are the person you will know the best out of the whole world! John 15:5 says - "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

Although I'm more of a Luke girl John hits it on the head. We have a spirit inside us that awakens each day. A spirit that guides us, teaches us and helps us understand the unknown. That spirit is the Holy Spirit. He helps us remember everything the Lord has told us. 

You know when you look at a green pepper, the inside of it has all the seeds and veins. I stop every time to observe the veins. I love looking at the intricate authentic work of our maker. It astonishes me every vein on there was formed. Or the petal of a flower, each line, leaf, color, everything! Oh it blows me away each time. 

It is a hard battle to fight, I agree with E.E. Cummings. The great thing is that we don't have to fight it. We have the help of a mighty and great God. Every person is unique in their own way, every cup of coffee is different, every recipe no matter how many times you make it is a little different. We are all made up of different ingredients, some have more sugar and some have more spice. Embrace who you are because there really is only one you! The world is putting up a good battle we need to be ready each day with Ephesians 6:11-18. Put on that armor! I want to go down with blood on it, not all shinny. It's meant to get dirty and bloody. Our battle is not with each other it is with the evil one. 

So be you, an authentic human BEING. It's truly a pleasure to be yourself for not only you but for everyone around. We have all the tools in our tool boxes of life, we just need to let the Holy Spirit show us how to use them. He is the best teacher. Some of us may have the same tools but we all use them differently and for different things. 

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Become a principled human being. Become an authentic human being. When you say that you will do something do it. Don't say you will do something and then not do it. That is not what a principled human being is like. Thought, word and deed must come together. These are actually the holy trinity within the human being. 

Thought, Word and Deed.

 When Thought, Word and Deed are in alignment at a very high level, then you are living a principled life. You are living an Authentic life. This takes you to a Divine life. 

- Swami Sitaramananda