Watch/Listen Now: "Compassionate Era: Bahá’í Teachings on the Animal Kingdom" recorded April 16th
Articles

Isolated Believer Builds Confidence in the Power of Devotionals

Mar 31, 2023
Person with arms reaching out facing a bright gold sunset.

Photo by Zac Durant on Unsplash

Course: Praying Together: The Devotional Gathering (2022)
Faculty Mentor: Wendi Momen

When I decided to take Praying Together: The Devotional Gathering, I kept my goals very simple. I wanted to gain a fuller perspective on the devotional as a means of sharing the Faith and creating stronger bonds within a community, and I wanted to stick with the course until the end. I achieved both of these goals.

As an isolated believer, I also take the Institute courses to be a part of the larger Bahá’í community, to be brought back in touch with the dialogue taking place, and to keep the larger picture – the goals of the Faith – in view. Spending time in this course has increased my awareness of the larger picture – helped me incorporate the larger goals of the Bahá’í community into my daily life.

In particular, the unit on the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár expanded my thinking on what I can do as an isolated believer. The idea that one person can carry the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár in their attitude and outlook gave me a conceptual tool to act on.

Overall, I have acquired a lot of insights, and I have a stronger perspective on the power of the individual to be a center of worship when acting according to the standards of the Faith.

Now that the course has ended, I will work on the micro-steps that may lead to the setting up of a devotional, starting with an “open door” attitude in conversations and relationships. I will have more faith that my lone little light of faith will make a difference.

Contributors

member-img

Patricia Rowe

Nyssa, OR

Up Next...