Belief vs Knowing

Faith: Substance vs. Hope

The Bible defines faith as "the substance of things hoped for." For years, this puzzled me. I preached it as merely hoping God would deliver. Now, it clicks.

There's a stark contrast between substance and hope. Substance is tangible, present, real. Hope implies absence, future, uncertainty. Faith, then, is paradoxical. It's possessing now,  what you don't yet see. It's treating the unseen as seen, the future as present. This isn't blind optimism. It's a shift in perspective, a realignment of reality. Faith doesn't just believe; it knows. It doesn't just hope; it holds.

In essence, faith is "having it, before you have it." It's living from the end, not towards it.

This realization transforms not just theology, but life itself. It challenges us to live from a place of fullness, not lack. To operate from certainty, not wishful thinking.

Belief vs Knowing

Luke, my 6-year-old son, exists. It's not a belief - it's a fact. Each morning, I don't "believe" he'll be here; I know it. The energy of "believing you will have something" carries the undertone of not having it. In my church days, I'd pray loudly and passionately, impressing others with my seeming confidence. My prayers often included, "God, I know You're about to..." or "Your word is truth, so I'm certain You will provide."This approach, while emotionally stirring, missed the mark. Such prayers essentially say, "I don't have it." When you truly have something, you don't ask for it.

I don't pray for a son daily. Why? He's here, a tangible part of my everyday life. Knowing transcends believing. It's the difference between hope and certainty, between wishing and experiencing.

Misplaced Belief

Stress and worry are misplaced belief. When we stress, we're investing faith in failure. When we worry, we're betting on scarcity. Everyone believes in something - it's about where you direct it.

Stress believers put their faith in:

- Worst-case scenarios

- Past failures repeating

- Their own inadequacy

Worry believers invest in:

- Lack and limitation

- Future problems

- Powerlessness

Your belief is a powerful force. It's always working, always shaping your reality. The question isn't whether you believe. It's what you're choosing to believe in.

Are you believing in what limits you or what liberates you? In what drains you or what drives you forward?

Manifestation: From Belief to Knowing

In my blog on Transmuting Scarcity, I discussed using affirmations to combat a scarcity mindset. It worked, but not exactly as I'd anticipated.

I believed 10,000 affirmations would rewire my brain's neural pathways. They did, but more critically, they shifted me from believing to knowing.

Repeatedly affirming "I AM abundance" or "I AM wealthy" paradoxically highlighted that I didn't yet know these as truths. I was still in belief territory, not knowledge.

But here's the shift: These affirmations became a bridge. Each repetition moved me closer to embodying these truths. Words slowly transformed from hopeful statements to lived realities.

This process wasn't about self-deception. It was recognizing a truth I hadn't yet grasped. Affirmations didn't create abundance; they unveiled it. The journey revealed manifestation's true nature. It's not conjuring something from nothing, but aligning with what already is. The leap from belief to knowing isn't instant. It's a gradual awakening. Affirmations were my stepping stones.

Ultimately, manifestation isn't about changing external reality. It's about shifting internal knowing. And that shift changes everything.

Manifesting vs. Desiring: A Critical Distinction

YOU CAN NOT MANIFEST AND DESIRE AT THE SAME TIME. These are two distinct stages, mutually exclusive.

Desiring is the energy of lack. It's wanting, needing, yearning for something absent. This state acknowledges the thing's nonexistence in your current reality.

Manifesting, conversely, is the energy of possession. It's knowing, owning, embodying what you've already received. In this state, there's no room for want because you're operating from fullness.

When you truly have something, you don't desire it. You live it.

The shift from desiring to manifesting is subtle but profound. It's moving from "I want this" to "This is mine." From future tense to present reality. Recognizing this distinction is critical. It challenges us to examine our inner state. Are we living from lack or abundance? Are we hoping or knowing?

Manifestation begins when desire ends. It's the point where longing transforms into lived experience, even before physical evidence appears. This understanding reframes the manifestation process. It's not about getting what you want. It's about aligning with what already is.

Defying the Circumstances

Understanding that circumstances don't dictate reality is crucial to manifesting desires. If someone claimed my son didn't exist, showing "proof," I wouldn't waver. I know he does. Period. I'd recognize it as deception and dismiss it immediately. I wouldn't change my life based on your proof. I'd continue living "as if" he exists. This knowing is what I live by, how I act. In other words, the way you're living your life tells me what you know to be true, what you place your belief in.

This unwavering knowing is key when faced with the absence of your desires. Be ready with this knowing when the opposite of what you're believing for shows you "proof" that you don't have it.

Why? It's a necessary step in manifestation. Persisting in your "knowing" despite contradictory evidence is the catalyst for manifestation. It's your declaration of readiness. When you maintain your stance despite opposing circumstances, you're essentially saying, "I'm ready for this to materialize because I know it's already mine."

This defiance of apparent reality isn't delusion. It's a profound understanding that true reality transcends current circumstances. It's recognizing that what you see isn't always what is. The challenge lies in maintaining this knowing when everything seems to contradict it. But that's the test. That's where manifestation power lies. Your ability to ignore contradictory circumstances, to stand firm in your knowing, is what bridges the gap between unseen and seen reality.

Remember: Circumstances change. Knowing is constant. Choose knowing, and watch circumstances align.

The Journaling Catalyst: Accelerating Manifestation

Journaling has been the game-changer in my manifestation process. It provides a clear snapshot of your mindset, revealing where you waver and what state you're in. Are you desiring or manifesting?

Daily, I break down my experiences. I live for this ritual; it's my personal reality check. This practice illuminates what I'm otherwise unaware of - crucial in manifestation. Why? Most creation stems from subconscious programming, often hidden from our conscious mind. Journaling, sitting in silence and reflection, catches these elusive patterns.

My process involves reflecting on specific symbols, events, and feelings. Daily, I identify key areas needing daily attention.

Journaling isn't just recording; it's a tool for transformation. It bridges the gap between unconscious creation and conscious manifestation.

For those interested in adopting this practice, I've compiled my templates into a downloadable PDF. It's available here for purchase, offering a structured path to enhanced manifestation through journaling.

Remember, awareness is the first step to change. Journaling is your window to that awareness.