satisfaction – Spirituality & Healing

Finding lasting satisfaction

Published on August 14, 2019August 13, 2019 by lindseybiggsLeave a comment

Satisfaction. What is it and where can we find it?

I think most of us have found that material circumstances are fleeting at best when it comes to satisfaction.

Is there a deeper state of mind that can make us feel fully satisfied? A state of consciousness that is not dependent on physical factors?

Yes. A consciousness that is aware of God’s presence and power is truly satisfied. Jesus began his beatitudes with “happy are those…” and most of them rely on seeing beyond the material circumstances. So, he must have been talking about a different kind of happiness — a heavenly happiness. A spiritual joy that knows that “all things work together for good to those who love God” (Romans 8:28) A missed flight? No big deal. All things are working together. A traffic jam? All things are working together. Jesus was the master metaphysician because he looked beyond the material circumstances to perceive the true, spiritual identity of each of us. Where material sense saw a sinner, he saw the blessed child of God. I was recently reading sin described as a “frustrated desire”. I thought that was a really interesting idea and woke me up to see if I am allowing frustration to control my thinking. This shows me the need to be alert to where we are seeking happiness from and to hold the control over our own consciousness.

Here is a beautiful podcast that I just listened to and enjoyed with lots of ideas on this topic called “What truly makes us happy and satisfied?”

Happiness consists in being and in doing good; only what God gives, and what we give ourselves and others through His tenure, confers happiness: conscious worth satisfies the hungry heart, and nothing else can.–Mary Baker Eddy

I love this idea that knowing our worth and our dignity is what satisfies us. Knowing who we are as the spiritual sons and daughters of God. This view is satisfying because it looks beyond the veil to what God is seeing and knowing about each one of us. It is a deep, spiritual view that we know in our hearts, we feel it, and we cherish it. It is a view that is worth drinking in everyday so that we don’t allow the world to cause us to forget about it. It sees the eternal, spotless, whole identity of each spiritual child of God as loved, loving, lovely, and loveable. Behold yourself in this view. This spiritually inspired view heals.

Spiritual living and blessedness are the only evidences, by which we can recognize true existence and feel the unspeakable peace which comes from an all-absorbing spiritual love. — Mary Baker Eddy

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Image by Jackie Samuels from Pixabay

Satisfaction, nature and being in awe

Published on August 5, 2017August 5, 2017 by lindseybiggsLeave a comment

Nature teaches grand lessons.

This summer I got the opportunity to sit in awe of the ocean, the beautiful sand, and tall trees. I felt like I was in heaven. Sand and water are so simple, yet their purity and consistency can entertain one for hours as you stare at the waves coming in and out, in and back out again.

I was reminded of a blog that a colleague wrote about the healing power of being in awe. Scientists have found there are healthy physical and mental effects from the state of being in awe. What gives us this profound sense of awe is as diverse as we are. For me it’s nature, the trees, moon, animals. There is something so spiritual about pausing for a moment to just be in awe of this wonderful creation.

I was reading an article about retails shops and malls closing down at a rapid rate across America. One town is looking to make up for the lost business by attracting people to stop for the hiking trails, state parks and a new whitewater rafting outfit.

Studies have found that as people consume more, they are less and less happy. Spending money can actually be an addiction, similar to drug addictions, because, as studies show, spending can give people the same temporary high that drugs can.

So how do we break these cycles of addiction? Through knowing that man (more than just human beings) — men, women and children — are the spiritual manifestation of God. A friend once told me that she thinks of the word “man” as short for “manifestation.” I like that. We are much more than the flesh and bones that we see. We are actually each the image and likeness of God; the reflection of the one creative Spirit. Getting to know God and expressing this infinite wonderful being is the way to satisfy.

Higher enjoyments alone can satisfy the cravings of immortal man... The senses confer no real enjoyment.

What can we enjoy then? I find that thinking in terms of qualities helps. The Bible says:

God’s Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful…

So true enjoyment comes from our spiritual sense. Spiritual sense is actually how we perceive beauty, peace, love, satisfaction, comfort, joy. It’s how we feel safe. It’s how we give generously. It helps us make the right decisions. In fact, it is our constant connection to the Divine, to our real, native being.

God’s being is infinity, freedom, harmony, and boundless bliss.

So it makes sense that as we become conscious of God, we are becoming more aware of infinity, freedom, harmony and boundless bliss and can be truly satisfied.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Mary Baker Eddy, Science & Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 60:31
Galatians 5:22 CEV
Science & Health, p. 481:2-4
Matthew 5:6 NIV

God-centered employment

Published on January 27, 2016January 11, 2017 by lindseybiggsLeave a comment

I have a gratitude journal app which sends me notifications with prompts for jotting things down.

Today’s topic is about finding meaning in work. It asks:

How does your work help other people?
What unique skills and strengths can you use in your work?

I love the reminder to value our work. It helps me appreciate our uniqueness — that we are individual manifestations of God expressing Him in special and unique ways.

I like to think that we are always employed because EVERY moment God is utilizing us to express His goodness and love. Every moment we are needed and valued. This helps me be motivated and brings inspiration to my work and daily activities.

. . . let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.¹

So if you’re looking for employment or simply looking for freshness in your current job, start with an absolute love for God. Loving God, getting really grounded in a deep love for Him/Her, gives us lasting satisfaction and the ability to express Him. Then our work will simply be utilizing the qualities that He has given us such as poise, understanding, compassion, intelligence, joy, and humor to help others.

True prayer is not asking God for love . . . Prayer is the utilization of the love wherewith He loves us.²

In the scientific relation of God to man, we find that whatever blesses one blesses all . . . ³

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^{2 Mary Baker Eddy, No and Yes, p. 39:17-19}

^{3 Mary Baker Eddy, Science and Health, p. 206:16-17}