Personal Creed
A personal creed expresses what an individual holds deepest and dearest and flows from who we are. It is not an affirmation. An affirmation is something repeated until it manifests in one’s life. A creed is something already believed and valued. It is a declaration, a personal mission statement outlining fundamental, beliefs, values, principles and practices important to you. Scripting important values serves to provide focus, gives purpose and meaning to your thoughts and actions thus meeting a basic human need.
Start your personal creed with a statement of who you believe you are. Your faith and fundamental beliefs are a good place to start. Next identify the principles, practices and vision that will enable you to live the ‘good life’ or in other words the life rooted in your core values.
The particular elements of our personal creed will of necessity change and evolve to reflect the perceived needs, understanding and circumstances we find ourselves in.
Perhaps you could begin by asking a few questions:
· If you are a Christian or Muslim what God-like attributes will strengthen your capacity to be who you want to be?
· What can I do in my life that will entitle me to experience a greater measure of peace, happiness and joy?
· How can I apply what I learn, so that I am living those principles?
· What can I do to be a true to that which I believe and hold dear?
· Why am I here? What is my purpose?
· In what ways can I improve, so I might exemplify what I truly believe and value?
· What service can I render?
The Bible the Quran, the Book of Mormon and the Talmud and other sources of good literature are full of statements intended to inspire, and motivate and are suitable in a personal creed: i.e.
“I rely on the Atonement of Jesus Christ to endure the trials, sicknesses and pains I experience”.
“I seek opportunities to serve and meet the physical and spiritual needs of others and in so doing, I serve God.”
“I sustain, support and follow the prophet.”
“I pray with faith, sincerity and real intent and seek God’s influence in my life.”
“And whoever holds firmly to Allah has [indeed] been guided to a straight path”
Example of a Personal Creed
I came to this earth to learn according to the exercise of the God given gift of agency either seeking light, truth and pure knowledge according to my own efforts or through the workings of the light of Christ in me or fall victim to the oppositional forces and seek to satisfy the appetites of a carnal nature and risk losing the agency and freedoms I so much value.
Pure knowledge bids me exercise faith.
Faith engenders trust and confidence and moves me to act.
As I act in faith I learn obedience. It is also necessary as further light, truth and wisdom flow from it. Oppositional forces continue, reminding me of the need for help on my journey. A loving Heavenly Father has provided all I need. To avail myself of this support he provided his only begotten Son to bridge the gap. A humble acknowledgement of his sacrifice on my part and willingness to reach out in prayer is what is required of me.
Humility bears fruit through the spirit in the form of inspiration and revelation. This flow of light and truth when acted upon in faith, fills me with gratitude and an increased measure of love of my Father in Heaven for his tender mercies towards me.
Love will continue to kindle and expand my capacity, magnify my influence and extend my reach.
This is the ultimate purpose of power, the ultimate reward of the righteous exercise of agency - to lift up the downtrodden, to succour the heavy laden.
Yours may well vary markedly from these two examples. The point is, to script what represents fundamental values to frame a mission statement or personal creed. It is your own and defines your hopes, intentions and purpose. It gives meaning to your actions, a vision of possibilities and hope in the future. It provides focus, a means to reduce unworthy distractions and engagements and concentrate on the things that matter most.
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