From Obstacle to Opportunity: Unity Principles in Action

How do you approach obstacles?

In Unity, we affirm that Life is for us, never against us. Yet, when we look around today—military vehicles patrolling our cities, immigration enforcement disrupting families, the tragic drumbeat of gun violence, and everyday citizens weighed down by rising costs—it can feel as though life is nothing but obstacles.

Ryan Holiday’s book The Obstacle is the Way offers us a powerful reminder: what appears to block our path can, in fact, become the very path. When paired with Unity Principles, it becomes a practical map for moving from fear into faith, from reaction into response, and from despair into Divine possibility.

Building on The I of the Storm

I recently facilitated a study of Gary Simmons’ The I of the Storm. That master work reminds us that conflict is not something to fear, but an invitation to return to the center of our being: the Peace that surpasses all understanding, the Christ light within each of us. It teaches us that peace begins in our consciousness, regardless of circumstances.

The Obstacle is the Way takes this inner grounding and adds practical, step-by-step tools to apply it in the world. Where The I of the Storm helps us cultivate inner stillness, The Obstacle is the Way challenges us to turn outward, engaging life’s difficulties with courage, discipline, and creativity.

The Threefold Path — with Unity Principles

Holiday’s framework of Perception, Action, Will harmonizes beautifully with Unity’s Five Principles:

1. Perception (Unity Principle #1: God is Absolute Good, everywhere present.)

Perception is how we choose to see. In Unity, we remember that God is present in all things, even when appearances suggest otherwise. Shifting perception from fear to faith transforms a barrier into an opening.

Practical applications:

• Pause in moments of tension or overwhelm and ask, “What is the Truth in this?”

• Choose to see your opponent not as enemy, but as child of God facing their own pain.

• Seek the hidden possibility or seed in each apparent barrier.

2. Action (Unity Principle #5: Live the Truth you know.)

Action calls us to put spiritual conviction into motion. Knowing Truth is not enough—we must embody it. Whether through advocacy, service, or everyday choices, our actions are the evidence of our faith. We stand for Oneness, not separation. That means no one is the “other,” and there is not a winning side. Peace, Harmony, and Love are more powerful than hate and aggression.

Practical applications:

• In a heated moment, speak your truth calmly rather than suppressing or attacking.

• Volunteer, vote, advocate—each small act is a thread in the wider tapestry.

• Offer presence, mediation, and compassion in your neighborhoods and communities.

• Let your spiritual values guide your decisions about how to engage with systems (public safety, immigration, community care).

3. Will (Unity Principle #4: We align with Spirit through Prayer and Meditation.)

Will, as Holiday presents it, is resilience and inner strength. In Unity, we cultivate that strength through prayer and meditation, aligning with the Divine Presence that sustains us when circumstances shake. Will is not about forcing outcomes—it is about staying centered in Spirit so we can persist in Love.

Practical applications:

• Use prayer, meditation, and affirmation to steady your consciousness over time.

• When discouragement, anger, or despair arise, refuse to let them dominate your inner narrative.

• Re-frame “will” as trusting in Spirit’s organizing power rather than forcing outcomes.

• Sustain daily practices so your capacity for spiritual resilience grows.

Living in This Moment of American History

These teachings are not abstract—they are urgently relevant.

• Military presence in our cities reminds us that true power is not in force, but in the steady presence of Spirit. Our perception shapes whether we see oppression alone, or an opportunity to witness and embody peace.

• Immigration enforcement disrupting communities challenges us to act. We can support neighbors, advocate for compassion, and remember that Unity affirms the Oneness of all life.

• Gun violence demands both inner healing and outer reform. We are called to hold a vision of safety while engaging in practical actions to protect life.

• Financial stress pushes us toward despair, but through perception, action, and will, we claim abundance—not as denial of hardship, but as alignment with the inexhaustible Source.

In each of these realities, the Unity path and the Stoic path converge: what threatens to break us can, if we stay centered in Spirit, become the way through.

A Call to Spiritual Resilience

We stand in a time of great testing. But obstacles are never the end of the story. They are thresholds. By shifting our perception, taking faithful action, and cultivating the will to endure, we transform difficulty into Divine opportunity.

As Charles Fillmore reminds us:

“Stand by the Truth no matter what happens. Then you are the master, not the victim.” — Keep a True Lent, p. 36

The obstacle is not in the way. The obstacle is the way—when we walk it in the awareness of Oneness.

Affirmation: I perceive Divine Good in every circumstance. I act in alignment with Truth. Through prayer and meditation, I strengthen my will and endure in love. I am Worthy, Wealthy, Well, and Whole.