The Law of Correspondence

11/16/2025

Proverbs 4:23: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

We are spiritual beings, living in a spiritual universe, having a human experience. We are children of God, indwelling these human forms, living not only by the physical laws of the universe, but the spiritual laws, as well. If we want to know something about the physical universe, the sciences do a good job of telling us what we need to know. They do not have all the secrets yet, but they are doing a good job. For the most part, we rely on the research and discoveries of others for our knowledge.

If we want to know about the spiritual world, we turn to Spirit, to God.  Although we can go directly to our Source, as in the sciences, we primarily rely on the research and discoveries of others for our knowledge, and we do not know all the secrets yet. We read the words passed down to us through our Bibles, with all the various translations. We go to church and listen to ministers share their interpretations of these words. There are so many various interpretations, that there are over 46 thousand Christian denominations, each one convinced that they alone have the correct path.

Is God’s word really so confusing and complex?  I do not think so. Jesus states it quite unambiguously: love God, love each other, and love our selves. Of course, there are commandments that we have been given, and have been written on our hearts and sewn into our DNA, which guide us on how to love each other. For instance, we are told, “Do not kill.”  Seems pretty straight forward. We are not acting with love if we are killing our neighbors. Honor your mother and father.  We are told not to steal, not to lie, which is what baring false witness is all about. We are given behavioral commandments that flow from our loving each other.

We have physical laws that guide us and explain events, and we have spiritual laws that guide us and explain the ‘hows and whys’ of life. We can get along just fine not knowing that the law gravity exists. But it explains things and makes us better able to plan and predict our actions.  The same is true with spiritual laws, and the one I want to discuss this week is the Law of Correspondence.

Just like gravity, we know this law exists from the research, study, observation, and experience of others. We know about gravity because it has been proven scientifically. The Law of Correspondence is a spiritual law, so science is limited and cannot prove its existence. Still, through analyses over the years by souls who are sensitive to spiritual effects, it has been determined to have its own power.

The Law of Correspondence says that everything we see and experience inside is reflected in what is happening outside. As within us, so without us. Whatever is going on internally – our thoughts, beliefs, and intentions – reflects in our life. The turmoil we see in the world is a reflection of the turmoil within us.

We do not like this concept. “So, Patrick, what you’re saying is that all the chaos in the world is my fault?” It is not about ‘what is;’ it is about how we see ‘what is’. Two people look out upon the same world, and one sees it as filled with chaos and division, the other sees beautiful people doing the best they can with what they know. One person sees the world as an adversary, with darkness around every corner trying to get them. The other sees a world of opportunity, challenges, and chances to grow and overcome. 

Like the Law of Attraction, there is a relationship between us and the outer world. The difference being that instead of drawing things to us as under the Law of Attraction, through the Law of Correspondence our current external world mirrors our internal condition: our beliefs, thoughts, emotions – manifest in our actions, demeanor, and ultimately in our experiences and environment. By changing inner attitudes, beliefs, and emotions, our outer circumstances begin to shift as well.

This law is taught indirectly in the Bible. Proverbs 23:7 tells us: “As a person thinks in their heart, so they are.” This verse speaks to the idea that our inner thoughts shape our outer reality. When I was a child, I was teased because of my freckles. I was different, and it was something that was easy for some other children to grab on to as leverage. But as I grew, I learned that my freckles were a gift. They strengthened me; they taught me that it was not me that was deficient, but just the poor lost souls who hurt so badly they had to lash out in order to divert their pain. I stopped seeing these people as adversaries and saw them as fellow sojourners in life. In high school, I wrote a humorous song about my freckles. My friends realized that I was not affected by my skin; I was not bitter or defensive, and because I relaxed others around me relaxed as well.  I changed my thoughts, and my world changed.

Life teaches us powerful lessons, and if we pay attention we can find opportunities for transformation. Our opening Bible verse says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” The heart was considered the core of our spiritual and emotional life. If we keep our heart aligned with God, our actions will reflect His love, peace, and righteousness.

There have been times in my life when my heart was not open or healthy – and it was quietly poisoning my thoughts, words, and actions. I have a master’s degree in vocal arts from USC, but it was not until we moved back to Carson City that I truly learned to sing. I had a voice teacher in Reno who I studied with, and she got me on track. We sang together, did a couple concerts, did one in Germany, and I grew in many ways under her tutelage.

But then she started saying mean untrue things about me that turned me away from her. I held all sorts of foul thoughts in my heart. After much prayer, I was able to forgive her and my hard heart softened. It was shortly after that I found out that she had developed Alzheimer’s and she had just been acting and speaking out through the influence of the dementia she was suffering.

My attitude towards her, and my descriptions of her today are much different from when she originally degraded me. Jesus tells us in Luke 6:45, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” There is no longer bitterness in my heart for my voice teacher, just thanks and appreciation. At any moment, our speech and behavior are windows into our inner reality.  In Matthew 15:18-19, He warns, “But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.” Jesus makes clear that dark actions originate internally. To walk in holiness, our focus must be on the heart, not just external behavior.

Our transformation begins within. Proverbs 27:19 teaches, “As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.” When we meditate on this scripture we can examine our current state of the heart – our emotions, thoughts, and beliefs. If there are negative thoughts, we can swap them out for biblical truths and empowering affirmations, as we discussed last week. The more we practice forgiveness, gratitude, patience, and all the higher virtues, the more our interactions and environment will reflect them.

The Holy Spirit gently reminds us that our external life imitates our inner world. Everything in life begins in the spiritual realm; our inner world shapes our outer reality. To change what we see around us, we must first allow the Holy Spirit to transform what is within us. In doing so, we become co-creators with God, changing ourselves and the world as we see it. 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new is here!” Christ changes us from within.

It is my prayer that we realize true change comes from within. Let us ask God to shape our heart and mind today, and our life will reflect His glory. “Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” May our hearts become fertile ground for God’s Spirit, transforming us, and through us, the world around us.