Standing Fast in the Lord

Neville's Inner Vision

In this moment of inner scripture, you and the Thessalonians meet in imagination. The words 'affliction and distress' are not external; they are states of mind. The comfort spoken of comes not from others, but from your own recognition of the I AM dwelling in you. Your faith is the atmosphere that makes life possible; when you affirm 'I stand fast in the Lord,' you anchor your consciousness in the unchanging presence within. The Lord is not a distant external power, but the steady I AM that you are aware of. To the extent you dwell there, you 'live'—not by outer circumstances, but by inner alignment. Your faith acts as a magnet, drawing the vitality of life into your experience. The phrase 'we live' becomes an inner vivacity, a feeling of being sustained by the inner stronghold you choose. Thus the inner act of standing fast becomes the outer result of enduring calm, hope for the future, and a present sense of life in every moment.