The Color Blue

by James Masters

Serenity/Faith

In the traditional Pride flag, the color blue symbolizes serenity. When contemplating serenity, my mind immediately turns to the Serenity Prayer, a widely used prayer in recovery programs:

"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Grant me patience for the changes that take time, appreciation for all that I have, tolerance for those with different struggles, and the strength to get up and try again, one day at a time."

I often incorporate an affirmative version of this prayer into my own spiritual practice:

"I have the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. I have the patience for the changes that take time, appreciation for all that I have, tolerance for those with different struggles, and the strength to get up and try again, one day at a time."

This serves as a wonderful introduction to the symbolic meaning of blue in the Twelve Powers as taught by Unity. In the Twelve Powers, blue represents faith. But what does faith truly entail?

Faith

Religions have often associated faith with a belief in specific doctrines, dogmas, rules, and requirements. They teach that accepting a particular set of stories constitutes faith. However, the Master Teacher Jesus presented a different perspective on faith.

In the stories about Jesus, he frequently criticized adherents of his own religious tradition—the ones who believed in the "right stories"—while acknowledging that those outside of his religion demonstrated "more faith than anyone in Israel." For Jesus, faith was not about subscribing to a specific set of stories; it was a confidence that goodness would ultimately prevail.

In the book "New Thought Dictionary," Ernest Holmes, the founder of Centers for Spiritual Living, another New Thought tradition, defines faith as "a recognition of, or belief in, certain principles" and "unconditional acceptance that there is an Invisible Intelligence which guides and an invisible Law which controls, and the complete belief that It is now doing so in one's life."

What is faith?

Faith is associated with confidence in something greater than ourselves, along with the recognition that this something is inherently good. What's fascinating about the connection between faith and serenity is that faith naturally engenders a sense of inner peace within us.

Deep within the core of each individual there is an infinite well of peace. We can access this well through intention, even amidst external chaos. This peace arises from knowing that we are loved, guided, and supported by the Good.
While I honor and respect people's religious identities, my observations and personal experiences have led me to believe that simply believing in a particular set of stories rarely brings about serenity. However, as I've learned to trust my inner instincts and recognize that my intuition is always on my side, I've gained access to a peace that "surpasses all understanding."