By Rev. Dr. Iyanla Vanzant 

Today’s excerpt is from my book, Until Today. This book of 365 daily devotionals supports the time-honored adage, “Why put off until tomorrow what you can do today?”  Beloveds, I know how easy it is to stay stuck in old sentiments, resentments, beliefs, decisions, agreements, judgments, and ideas that may have become habitual.

Through these devotions I hope to show readers that the easiest way to create change is to simply shift your attitude–today. We often work so hard to get the things we want that we miss the fact that it is the landscape of the inner world that stands between us and true happiness.

Faith and Experience

You must have faith and experience in order to live life fully.

You must have faith that all of the things you expect from life are possible for you.

You must have faith that no matter what life brings you, you will be able to handle it.

You must have faith that your faith will eventually lead to good experiences.

Experience teaches you that your faith is paying off.

Once you have had an experience, you know that you know.  When you know, you become more faithful.

Once you have an experience, it makes you want better or different experiences.

The difference between faith and experience is this:  One you must work on.  The other one works on you.

You must work to keep your faith alive.  When you are working on faith, it may feel as if you are going against the grain.  There may be no evidence that what you believe has any validity.

Still, you must move forward faithfully, until you have the experience that will lead you to knowing.  An experience leaves a mark on your consciousness.  An experience will guide your thoughts and your actions.  An experience can open your heart to new horizons or close your heart in fear.  In the midst of an experience, you must have faith that you will ultimately reap some benefit from what you now know to be true.

It is important to know what experiences to put your faith in.  If you have an unpleasant experience, have faith that you will learn something new, useful or productive.

When you have a pleasant or productive experience, have faith that you can duplicate the experience and make it better.

Have faith that your mind and heart will always be open to bigger, better experiences than those you have already had.

Until today, you may not have realized that your faith and your experiences work hand in hand.

Just for today, use your faith to create better experiences.  Use your experiences to activate a deeper sense of faith.