“If you could have anything you wanted in the world, what it would be?” my buddy Mike, who’s a little older and a lot wiser than me, asked.

“I’d like the gift of inner peace—to get rid of the fear and free-floating anxiety that haunts me most days.” I chuckled.

“Welcome to the club,” Mike said. “Research shows eighty-four percent of people suffer from fear or anxiety. And the way out, is in.”

The way out is in? Mike sometimes talks in riddles. I shook my head. “What do you mean?”

“To overcome fear and experience peace, you have to take the journey to your Inner Self.”

Mike explained that in Ephesians 3:16, St. Paul invites us to be strengthened in our “inner man.” Modern versions of the text refer to it as our “inner being,” since it applies to both men and women. Some people call it our Inner Self, True Self, or our Sacred Self in God.

Whatever you call it, the phrase points to this universal truth: the Creator desires to guide us with unconditional love and wisdom, and we can connect with God’s Spirit through the Inner Self—the one that resides in our hearts.

“How do I get there?” I asked.

“Like exercise and good nutrition develop healthy bodies, daily spiritual practices deepen our relationship with God and strengthen our Inner Self. Entering the quiet and spending time in meditation allows us to get away from the distractions of the world and listen for the voice of God.”

“I call my daily quiet time ‘having coffee with the Creator,’” Mike continued. “When we start our day with God, we learn how to hear the Voice of Love. We receive the Divine Guidance we need to make wise, life-giving choices. It’s like recharging our inner batteries with the Divine Energy of God’s Wisdom and Love.”

Mike gave me one of the best gifts I’ve ever received. Ever since that conversation with him, I start each morning with quiet time. I take the daily journey to my Inner Self. And God shows up in amazing ways.

—brian j plachta
brianplachta.com

 Spiritual Practice

Here’s a short meditation that can allow our noisy, restless minds to sink into our hearts, where God and our Inner Self dwell as One.

(click here to listen to an audio version of this Guided Meditation on my YouTube Page:  The Way Out Is In-Meditation Link )

Take a few moments to pause and enter the quiet.
Place your fingers alongside your head.
Trace them down your face.
Let them come to rest upon your heart.

Let your mind sink into your heart.

Open your hand on your chest.
Feel the warm glow.
Savor the soft beating of your heart.
Listen to the stillness.
This is the place where God and you dwell as One.

Rest in your Inner Self.
Everything you need is there—here in your heart.

More Resources for Your Continued Personal Growth

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