In his nineties, Charles Fillmore, co-founder of Unity declared, "I fairly sizzle with zeal and enthusiasm, and I spring forth with a mighty faith to do the things that ought to be done by me." Fillmore's joyous declaration has often been cited as an example of the Power of Zeal in action. But do you see how his declaration can also be viewed as an example of the Power of Wisdom?

Have you ever neglected the things that ought to be done by you and, instead, invested your time and effort in activities that either ought to have been done by someone else or perhaps ought not to have been done at all? The Power of Wisdom can be an inner knowing that recognizes what we need to say or not say, and do or not do.   

The Power of Wisdom serves as a guide to our thoughts—permitting some to be engaged and releasing those that do not serve our highest good. This power is sometimes called discernment or judgment—the righteous judgment of which Jesus spoke, not ego-based judgment. All of us are gifted with this inner knowing.

Fillmore located the Power of Wisdom at the nerve center called the solar plexus. Your solar plexus is, according to Dictionary.com, “a network of nerves situated at the upper part of the abdomen, behind the stomach and in front of the aorta.” The solar plexus has also been called the “pit of the stomach.” It's very likely that you have experienced a “gut feeling.” That feeling might well have been the Power of Wisdom seeking to express.
 
Why doesn't the Power of Wisdom express more often and more completely? Consciously or unconsciously, we often block its expression, by confusing the so-called wisdom of the ego, or limited human consciousness, with the Power of Wisdom that is actualized when we trust what Fillmore called “the leading of the Spirit.”
 
Fillmore assures us that this leading is not something mysterious. He declares, “When you open your mind to the wisdom of God in the silence, you should claim in faith that you have received, and trust that the Spirit does guide you.” By doing so, he says, a person “soon learns that obedience to Spirit increases his [or her] power to control his [or her] thoughts.”

In the silence, then, claim your Power of Wisdom! Unity teacher and author Rev. Paul Hasselbeck invites us to declare: I claim Wisdom now. I use Wisdom to wisely discern how to apply what I understand so that I am being the best Christ I can be.
 
Letting the Power of Wisdom express requires persistent practice. It also requires that we let go of any preconceived, ego-based idea of how our lives will look and feel when we are expressing our Power of Wisdom fully. Fillmore cautions us, “Do not be surprised and disappointed if everything does not work out according to your old ideas. … What may at first seem to you failure may prove to be a clearing away of rubbish that will open the … mind to a larger life.”

In learning to express the Power of Wisdom, apply the skills of letting go (denial) and building up (affirmation). Invite Wisdom's partners, the Powers of Dominion (or the Power of Power, control of thought and speech), Understanding and Zeal to join in the work of letting the Power of Wisdom express in your life.  Remember that none of the Twelve Powers works alone, but rather in tandem with each other.

Let true spiritual Wisdom express in all you think, say and do. As you give full expression to the Power of Wisdom, you inspire others to discover and develop their own Power of Wisdom.  You follow Jesus in the work of helping to raise the consciousness of all humankind.
 

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Visit Unity's Twelve Powers Resource Center for more information about putting each of these spiritual abilities to work in your life. You'll find songs, meditations, articles and affirmations to assist you in learning more about the Twelve Powers.
 

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Tom Thorpe is an ordained Unity minister now serving as faculty member and subject matter expert for Unity Institute® with a primary emphasis on distance learning (online and Webcast classes) in the Institute's continuing education program.