Thought for the Week: Godself
David Saunders writes about 'that of God within us'
‘Out of his infinite glory, may he give you the power through his Spirit for your hidden self to grow strong’.
Ephesians 3:16
(The Jerusalem Bible)
‘That of God within us’ is a precious Quaker affirmation. God is not above, beyond, and outside, but at work within, inside us: a seed that can grow, develop as we mature, and move us on from the ‘ego’ that was an essential part of our early development as individuals. But, finding our ‘Godself’ is the work of a lifetime, with little glimpses along the way of something bigger, deeper, eternal.
Society at large seems to be infected with ‘I, I, Me, Me’ and Quakers are not immune. But perhaps we also know that there is something more than ego if we only recognise and allow our ‘Godself’ to grow. Age and maturity inevitably teaches us about the wear and tear of our physical bodies, but at the same time something of more lasting power and significance is growing within us.
By allowing ourselves to grow in the Spirit we discover our true identity, the person we did not know existed, and the person we were meant to be. Trusting the Spirit, living adventurously, can lead us to become fuller, deeper, more realised people living beyond the limitations of our egos.
Perhaps that was what Paul meant when he prayed for the Ephesians that he give you the power ‘through his Spirit’ for your hidden self to grow strong. With time our perspective shifts from outward to inward, and our priorities get refocused from temporal to eternal if we allow the Light which overcomes the darkness, to shine in and through us, making our lives a living prayer.
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