Tag: spiritual living

“Emerge gently” in our spiritual journey

Published on by lindseybiggs2 Comments

 

I have been cherishing an idea from the book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures lately.

 

“Emerge gently from matter into Spirit.  Think not to thwart the spiritual ultimate of all things, but come naturally into Spirit through better health and morals and as the result of spiritual growth.” (p. 485)

 

To me this really illustrates and describes the journey I am partaking of.

 

In the past, I have tended to be a bit extreme.  I discover something new and I go for it all the way.  The same was when I re-discovered Christian Science.  I dove deeply into my study, spending several hours a day in prayer, meditation, and reading.  It strengthened me and changed my life.  But I realize I had more of a “destination” view of my spiritual journey and understanding.  The goal was to get there, to get somewhere.

 

What I cherish so much about the statement above is that we come into the spiritual sense of life naturally.   There can’t be any human will involved.  It is really a divine unfoldment each moment.  And our job is to be receptive, clear and willing to appreciate each spiritual opportunity throughout our day.  This might be in seeing someone’s spiritual identity in the face of conflicting or pushy personality; or seeing our true value and worth as a child or reflection of God; or knowing your and everyone’s God given exemption from a cold/flu, or any disease for that matter.

 

Any effort to attract does not come from God.  God is supplying us with all we need each moment.  When we try to attract something into our experience, we are thinking there is another source in addition to God.  But God is the only Source.  And because of this we can expect that we will have everything we need each moment, through our reflection of Him/Her.

 

God’s being is the only being and is full and complete.  God is the only doer and we reflect and express Him/Her.  The only one doing anything is God and therefore activity is perfect, good and right, and it blesses everyone.  We simply reflect the action of the divine.

 

Throughout our day we can feel inspired to begin an activity, to write someone or send a “thank you”, and we can also be guided in the right moment to stop or pause an activity.  Each moment of our day is orchestrated by the divine; we are part of the divine symphony, each component playing and holding at just the right moment.

 

We lose all sense of time when we think this way.  Time no longer outlines, defines or limits us.  God is conscious of being as a circle, not a linear timeline; of eternity and not mortal measurements.  We can live in eternity here and now.  Time doesn’t have to be anything more than a method in society to help us see order.  It does not have to govern or determine our lives.

 

Step out of time, and step into the eternal, infinite direction of divine Mind.  Soul/Life/Love is leading and guiding us each moment in absolute harmony and usefulness.

 

Happy New Year!

 

Loving Ourselves

Published on by lindseybiggs1 Comment

I read an interesting article the other day.  It pointed out to love ourselves first, and then we will have the ability to love our neighbor as ourselves.[i] I feel this point is important when understood in a spiritual perspective.

If I see myself as the spiritual idea that God created – beautiful, useful, intelligent, filled with right ideas, creative, and shining – then I express that, and I’m able to see others that way.

On the contrary, if I’m not seeing myself spiritually, then I’m probably not going to see others spiritually as well.  If I only love myself a little bit or some of the time, than I’m only going to love my neighbor a little bit or some of the time.  We can see ourselves as the spiritual perfect man or woman that God created, and in that way we can be uplifted and help uplift others.

When we love ourselves as God’s child then we naturally bless and include others.  We radiate God’s light.  We see ourselves through the lens of Love, and we are able to see others in the same way.  Giving becomes easier.  We are more productive and appreciative.  We feel more spontaneity, energy and enthusiasm.

Negative thoughts about yourself are draining.  They take away our strength and lead to discouragement.  They may be regret, inadequacy, unworthiness, fear of failure, or lack of confidence.  On the other hand they may be self-righteousness or self-justification.  The type of attitude that says, “I don’t care what anyone else feels; I’m going to do it anyway”; Or it may be criticizing others so that we feel better.  This isn’t loving ourselves as God made us either.

We are each the beloved child of God.  God knows us as spiritual and perfect, eternally abiding in His kingdom.  “In Him we live and move and have our being”.[ii] Therefore we can never be apart from God or leave His side.  No mistake or accident from the past can taint us today.  We are “new-born”[iii] each day, and we can always “put on the new man”[iv].

I had the privilege of attending a Christian marriage seminar shortly after I was married.  Wonderful ideas were shared including this one that I like: we are 100% responsible for how we feel.  This takes pressure off your spouse or anyone else to be the one to please or make you happy.  And it takes pressure off of you to look for someone to make you feel good.

When we are responsible for how we feel, we are much nicer to be around and easier to get along with.  We don’t have to look to someone else for approval or satisfaction; we can look to God to know we are taking the right step and walking the right way.  We can check with God before we do or say anything.  And we know we are already loved.  I like revising the well-known Bible statement that says, “We love him, because he first loved us”[v] to say ‘we love ourselves, because God first loved us’.

Loving yourself is being obedient to God.  God made you and created you.  Loving yourself is acknowledging God’s wonderful creation.   It isn’t selfish at all.  And we are more valuable to Him when we see who we are as He/She created us to be – perfect and eternal in His/Her own spiritual image and likeness.

So let’s love ourselves today, and in that way we will truly be able to love others.

[i] Christian Science Sentinel, “A Promise of Progress”, T. Michael Fish, July 5, 2010

[ii] Holy Bible, King James Version, Acts 17:28

[iii] Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 35

[iv] Holy Bible, King James Version, Eph 4:24, Col 3:10

[v] Holy Bible, King James Version, I John 4:19