In the story of the Prodigal Son, Jesus told of a young man who “came to himself.” (Luke 15:17) It is difficult to tell from the parable just how potent this return from the self-exile was for the man, but I would like to suggest that “coming to himself” refers to a reawakening and a recalibration to the Essence of his identity.

 “The self does not awaken to find itself trapped in an isolated subjectivity. Rather it awakens to ultimate participation; it is a living threshold between nature and divinity, a presence that is wild, free, diverse, and indivisible.” - John O Donahue

It is up to us to boldly ask ourselves what is it that we truly believe, feel, and want in any given situation, and to trust that God Himself is guiding those desires in alignment with His Word. Having defined it, we must ask, believe, and align without resistance, and get ready to receive it in faith!

If your authentic vision is buried under life’s disappointments or confusion, it’s time to illumine it again. Once you have established your true North destination, your journey’s decisions will become obvious.

Do we recognize and acknowledge our incalculable worth? Do we want to lay hold of the good news in Christ, or are we addicted to our negative self-perceptions? Though many people in history have fallen short of their son-of-God potential, a good deal of humanity does want to be blessing in the earth and to be reminded who they are in Christ, not what they are not.

When we abide in Christ and live beautifully aware of our connectedness, we do what the Father does, just like Jesus demonstrated and spoke of. This happens, without gap, without concern, and without going from one external observation to another.

Sometimes, without us even realizing what’s happening, we shift and transform in our internal chambers; unknown to us in the heat of trials, a “critical mass” takes place in our souls. In the twinkling of an eye, we are changed.

This week, I’ve been “seeing” a “prophetic picture” of a newborn baby with part of the umbilical cord still attached, yet in the process of falling off. I feel this is relevant to many of us right now as the partial left over cord represents lingering subconscious attachments to survival mentality, detrimental religious indoctrination, lack focus, negative patterns and more…

How much do we live our lives facing backwards and how much do we live our lives in the present? How much about yesterday needs to affect the future we desire to carve out? Possibly less than we think - especially if we truly embody our partnership power with the Divine in the here and now.

Cognitive dissonance is a mental conflict that occurs when beliefs are contradicted by new information. This conflict activates areas of the brain involved in personal identity and emotional response to threats. The brain’s “alarms” go off when a person feels threatened on a deeply personal and emotional level, causing them to shut down and disregard any rational evidence that contradicts what they previously regarded as truth.