The Illusion of Chasing Wellbeing: Religion, Wisdom, and True Devotional Consciousness

The pursuit of wellbeing is a major component to properly define individual human existence. We all seek happiness, fulfillment, and a sense of purpose in our lives. However, in our quest for these elusive gifts, we often find ourselves entangled in the intricate web of religion, where the line between genuine devotional growth and self-deception blurs. This blog post explores the notion that wellbeing is not something to be chased but received, shedding light on how religion can inadvertently lead us astray in this pursuit.

In the realm of religion, the pursuit of wellbeing often takes on a peculiar form. Many religious doctrines and traditions instill in their followers a sense of duty, righteousness, and piety. While these values can undoubtedly be virtuous, the danger lies in the belief that one must chase them relentlessly to attain a state of wellbeing.

Religion, in its various forms, sometimes deceives us by making us believe that we can earn wellbeing through strict adherence to its principles. It encourages us to chase "rightness," "piety," and "sobriety" as if they were tangible goals. In doing so, it fosters a mindset that overlooks the essence true devotional growth—a journey that transcends mere outward appearances and rituals.

The Bible, as I often say and show, offers profound insights into the nature of wellbeing and personal devotional growth and development. It contains wisdom that extends beyond religious boundaries and can be appreciated by seekers of all backgrounds.

Central to the Bible's mind is the idea that wellbeing, in its truest sense, is not something to be attained through external actions. It is a state of “being” that is received when we align our inner selves with higher truths and principles, truths and principles the Bible’s words offer to their student. In essence, the Bible emphasizes the importance of an inward transformation, a shift in consciousness that goes beyond the surface of religious practices.

When we engage our belief with the Bible's wisdom, we open ourselves to a higher form of devotional consciousness. It's not merely about reciting verses or adhering to religious rituals; it's about internalizing the profound lessons embedded in the scriptures.

The Bible challenges us to explore our inner landscapes, to question our motives, and to cultivate a genuine sense of compassion and love for all minds. In doing so, it elevates our consciousness to a higher plane—one where the pursuit of rightness, piety, and sobriety is not a rigid chase but a natural consequence of an enlightened and refreshed mind.

The Bible's wisdom, like that of other spiritual texts, underscores the importance of consistent self-examination and inner growth, which is why it says, “Examine yourselves,” 2 Corinthians 13:5. It invites us to exercise our minds and inward persons through meditating on the Bible’s words, self-reflection, and a deep exploration of our relationship with the character or mindset therein.

In this process, we come to realize that the pursuit of wellbeing is not an external race but an internal journey. True wellbeing is not about chasing external markers of righteousness; it is about nurturing the seeds of goodness within our hearts and minds by an outlook that is personally and faithfully cultivated.

It is easy to fall into the trap of chasing external ideals of rightness, piety, and sobriety as means to attain “wellbeing.” However, the wisdom within the Bible teaches us that true wellbeing is not a destination but a continuously developing state of being—a gift received through inner transformation.

By engaging our devotional conversation with the Bible's words, we awaken a higher form of consciousness within our personal and our devotional self. We learn that wellbeing is not about chasing what is handwritten but about nurturing our inner selves consistently.

In the end, the path to true wellbeing lies not in the relentless chase but in the gentle reception of Bible’s wisdom residing within us, waiting to bloom when we align our devotional mind with those truths that guide our journey.

Forgiveness as Personally and Devotionally Transformative

Last week’s blog post was, for me, as brief as it was, personally reflective and moving. Learning how to forgive yourself, and how to give yourself a chance to heal, isn’t easy. I still want to focus on the topic of the wellness and transformation found in forgiveness, especially as it is guided by the Bible’s mind.

Transformative forgiveness, as guided by biblical wisdom, extends beyond religious boundaries to touch the core of the human experience. It serves as a cornerstone for devotional, emotional, and psychological growth, fostering compassion and reconciliation to mend relationships, minds, and hearts.

The Bible emphasizes transformative forgiveness as a timeless principle. Its teachings guide us toward releasing resentment and pursuing peace, presenting forgiveness as a timeless virtue that brings redemption not only to others but also to ourselves.

Within the Bible’s psalms and parables, forgiveness is presented as a multidimensional gem, refracting its radiance upon our intricate human dynamics. It becomes a mirror reflecting the paradoxes of mercy and justice, of letting go and taking responsibility. The Bible’s philosophy of transformative forgiveness calls us not only to extend clemency to others, but also to turn this grace inward, an act of self-compassion that unveils the fragile beauty of our imperfections.

Psychologically, forgiveness acts as a balm for the soul. The echoes of ancient wisdom are now corroborated by neurobiology and psychology, revealing that the burdens of resentment and anger are not just spiritual dilemmas, but tangible stressors that corrode our well-being. Thus, transformative forgiveness stands not only as a balm for the soul, but a remedy for the mind—a psychological alchemy that transmutes emotional turmoil into serenity.

Again, forgiveness is transformative not only because it heals relationships but also nurtures our relationship with ourselves. The stoic principle of recognizing the spheres within our control and those beyond it resonates with the Bible's emphasis on letting go. The cognitive-behavioral techniques that illuminate the importance of reframing our perspectives align with the biblical invitation to transcend bitterness through empathy and understanding. Thus, the wisdom of the ages converges upon the path of healing, regardless of the temporal or cultural mileposts they inhabit.

Allowing forgiveness to be transformative involves a deliberate journey. It requires acknowledging pain, cultivating empathy, and releasing negativity—a process that echoes both biblical teachings and modern therapeutic approaches. The wisdom of the Bible illuminates a path to forgiveness that is beyond healing, portraying it as an act of courage and strength (and it is), rather than an act of weakness. By learning of and integrating the Bible’s core philosophy into our lives, we pave the way for personal, interpersonal, and devotional transformation.

In a world that is lonely and yearning for healing and reconciliation, forgiveness stands out to the hopeful. Start here. Rooted in the Bible’s wisdom, its psychological resonance aligns with modern insights, ushering us into a future where compassion and forgiveness become catalysts for profound personal and devotional growth. Transcend the confines of your self to just STOP and forgive.

The Liberating Power of Lovingkindness

"O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart," Psalm 36:10.

If it is that we do not know what the Bible’s "righteousness" is, we may now know, according to this psalm, that it is its "lovingkindness." "Lovingkindness" is, in the Bible, another term for "righteousness," even as it says, "I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness," Hosea 2:19, and, "I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart…I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation," Psalm 40:10.

What then is "the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man"? Titus 3:4.

The Bible’s “righteousness” is for the spirit of our conversation's mind, in that it would have our conversation "perfect, as pertaining to the conscience," Hebrews 9:9. What is according to the conscience is without external or outward manipulation, which is why it says, "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation," Luke 17:20. What is with "observation" is with religious deeds and labors, and if "that which is born of the Spirit is spirit," John 3:6, and if our mind is "to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man," Ephesians 3:16, and if "wisdom strengtheneth," Ecclesiastes 7:19, then the Bible’s salvation is a kindness mainly occurring within the mind.

We learn this fact from how it says, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: that the blessing of Abraham might come," Galatians 3:13,14

"The kingdom of God" is herein understood to be no literal or tangible kingdom, but rather a spiritual procedure to recover the organs of our devotional conversation. Because "God is a Spirit," John 4:24, and because "a spirit hath not flesh and bones," Luke 24:39, this goal cannot be achieved by ay deed or act. If we think that it should, we should question whether or not what is invisible ought to care for what is physical.

A reality without the religious law dominating the conversation's conscience is preached to us through the crucifixion. A transaction occurred on the tree, where one manner of "life" was abolished and where another manner of "life" took the place of that abolished "life." "Life," to the Bible, is a term denoting one’s personal devotional conversation. Through the tree, one type of religious conversation was blotted out while another replaced it, and we know what replaced that "old" religious form from how it says, "He took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham," Hebrews 2:16. 

In the Bible, the word "angel" is used to denote a minister or messenger of the scriptures. If the living God's chief apostle took on the "nature" or the "seed" of Abraham, and if this man Abraham received his blessing not "through the law, but through the righteousness of faith," Romans 4:13, it is then evident that the "nature" or the "seed" of the angel is contrary to this position.

The "angel" is a minister demanding that "righteousness come by the law," Galatians 2:21, while the "nature" of Abraham states, "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness," Romans 10:4. The issue at hand is how the word "righteousness" is defined: to the "angel," righteousness is but the appearance of sanctity through religious deeds and laws; to the Bible, “righteousness” is alleviation and continual growth and development of the heart and mind.

But there is an issue. If we would have the Bible’s lovingkindness, and if we would continually advance in its manner of righteousness, we must know its devotional character. This is why it says, "O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart," Psalm 36:10.

Our mind is to become a free canvas for the impression of the Bible’s devotional character. Its impression is not to be our impression. Its impression is not to be the impression of a political religious tradition. When once the mind is willing to stand alone, the mind can then experience its words for knowledge to live by, which is why it says, "Through knowledge shall the just be delivered," Proverbs 11:9. 

Our conversation's conscience is to be delivered from some thing, and "having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances," Ephesians 2:15, we may know that our faith's mind is to quit "the handwriting of ordinances," Colossians 2:14, of whatever Moses should preach, "You are justified by the law," Galatians 5:4. This is how we begin to have a right mind to live by.

What is preached through the illustration of the crucifixion is liberty of mind from the box of a political faith for the mind’s personal devotional growth and development. This life, according to the wisdom within the Bible, is absolutely too short for us to spend it in the box of personal and religious policies. Self-cultivated and inherited ethics limit who we are, and when who we are is limited, the things and people around us suffer. They suffer because we, by our philosophy, care to limit every thing and every one else.

The Bible’s counsel for our conversation’s conscience is the means whereby our heart’s mind is liberated to not only soberly love self, but to also know and love every word that has ever come out of its mouth. This is why it says, “Hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him,” 1 John 2:3,4.