Spiritual Solutions

We talk a lot about actual thanks-giving, about giving thanks, but we don’t talk a lot about praise. We understand about giving thanks and we talk about building an attitude of gratitude, but there’s something about praise too that makes a difference in our lives.

In Psalms 34 it says this, “I will praise the Lord at all times. His praise shall be continually in my mouth.”

The word praise is mentioned over a hundred times in the psalms, and so praise is obviously very important. The Israelites used to praise with song and music and dancing, with instruments. You can picture them with their harps and lyres, probably tambourines and drums, and dancing and singing. They really rejoiced in their times of giving praise to God. They didn’t have a day of Thanksgiving, but certainly they sang praises to God.

Charles Fillmore, in his little book The Revealing Word, said this: “Praise is the quality of mind that eulogizes the good, one of the avenues through which spirituality expresses.”

Again, he said this; “Through an inherent law of mind action, we can increase what we praise. One can praise a weak body into strength, a fearful heart into peace and trust, shattered nerves into peace and power, a failing business into prosperity and success, want and insufficiency into supply and support.”

Why is this so? Well, praise helps us to focus on God’s good and it brings increase. When we praise the plant, the plant grows; when we praise our children, their true self begins to unfold. Anything we praise begins to increase in our lives.

When Myrtle Fillmore discovered she had tuberculosis and she heard the words of Dr. Weeks saying, “You’re a child of God and you do not inherit sickness,” she began to realize and to use that idea of praising, praising all the cells in her body. And she praised them into health. She became healthy again and lived many years after that time.

So the praising is important. Sometimes instead of praising, we put ourselves or others down, or we demean, or even curse. But if we’ll praise the good that we find, what happens? The good begins to increase. And the important thing is not only that the good increases, and when we praise other people they begin to blossom, don’t they? Everybody blossoms through praise.

That’s one thing that happens, but that’s only half the story because we get a blessing too. As we praise, we begin to see more good within ourselves and we begin to open the gateway of good within ourselves. We open the channels to receive more good as we give praise and blessings to others.

It says in the Psalms, “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works, that I know very well.”

So why do we praise God? Does God need our praise? No, God doesn’t need our praise, but we do. It doesn’t affect God, but it affects us. When we praise God, it affects us. What does it increase? Does it increase God? No, but it increases our spiritual awareness of God’s good when we praise and give thanks to God. It opens the gateways of our soul so that the imprisoned splendor of our own being can escape; and the love that we are can move into our world.

So, this Thanksgiving, remember that praising God and praising others is really key to experiencing more good in your own life.

Praise opens the gateways of our soul and love escapes into our experience. Sometimes praise has a way of making tears form when you realize you are in touch with the Spirit of God, and in this you are truly alive.

God Bless You – and I give thanks for you.

God is Blessing You, Right Now!

Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham
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“Spiritual Solutions” is produced by The Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham, a Unity minister for thirty-seven years, and is offered free of charge to anyone who wants to receive it. To be on my newsletter mailing list and have access to other articles, please go to Spiritual Solutions.

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(Enjoy another great post by Karl, from www.karlblog.com)

Are you feeling happy right now?

If so, hurrah!

Spread some of that happiness into the world around you. Smile and lighten up those dark corners in the world.

If you’re not happy, then ask yourself why.

What is stealing you from happiness and what can you do to be happy again? Maybe you can just decide… to be happy?

Remember, happiness is quite simply a choice.

You can choose to be happy at any point.

Happiness isn’t conditional. It isn’t attached to anyone or anything. It’s free and represents the joy of living.

Your natural state is happiness, so seize it right this moment.

And do what makes you happy … live fully; fill each moment with beauty; love; and offer kindness.

HH the Dalai Lama said…

“When we feel love and kindness toward others, it not only makes others feel loved and cared for, but it helps us also to develop inner happiness and peace.”

No matter what else is going on in your life right now, you can still have happiness at your heart’s core.

You can use the positive energy of your inner joy to resolve other feelings.

So, embrace happiness.

Live your life with happiness.

Be the happy, beautiful being you were born to be.

God is Blessing You, Right Now!

The Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham

Thanksgiving Day is almost upon us, so I’d like to offer you a way to make this Thanksgiving season even more special, with a new and different way of celebrating our traditional Thanksgiving.

Recently a woman told me of a wonderful demonstration of prayer that she had experienced and how very, very thankful she was feeling. But she admitted that she wasn’t sure how she could truly express her thankfulness to God. She said, “It somehow doesn’t seem enough just to say ‘Thank You’ to God.”

Have you ever had a tremendously wonderful answer to prayer? Perhaps a loved one who was very ill suddenly had what the medical profession calls “an instantaneous remission,” or had an exceptionally fast recovery to complete wholeness and health?

You would feel very, very thankful to that life-giving Spirit which is the Source of all healing and that humankind calls God, wouldn’t you? So how are you going to express your thankfulness?

Would it be enough to go into a church and silently say “Thank You” to God’s invisible Presence?

Would it be enough to go out on some mountainside and shout “Thank you, God” into the air and hear it echo and re-echo back to you?

I certainly think that silently giving thanks to God in prayer is very good. I think going out on a mountainside or wooded place or seashore and shouting “Thank you, God” with a fervent feeling of gratitude is a wonderful thing to do.

But I think perhaps that this is not enough. This is consciously being grateful. This is accepting a blessing, what might indeed be a miracle, from God with gratitude. But it is not what we might call “Thanks-giving,” except the giving of your time and perhaps an overflow of your emotions.

So let me suggest to you how you can really give thanks to God in this Thanksgiving season . . . and all around the year.

Here is what you do . . .

You’re grateful to God for your many blessings . . . good! You say “Thank You” to God in a quiet time of prayer . . . good! Then, because in your heart you know God has done so much for you and through you, you arise from your prayer time and determine to be on the lookout for someone who has a need that they can’t fulfill themselves . . . then you fulfill it!

Then you are truly giving, to express your thanks. And you are giving directly to God, too.

How are you giving directly to God?

Well, as Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:24), “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” Spirit means “breath,” or Life. God is Life in expression through every person as their individual Being.

When you give something of yourself to someone who has a need, you are giving to God expressing as that person!

This is what the Bible is pointing out when it says, “Whatsoever you do unto the least of these, you do also unto me.”

Thankful prayer is “Thanks-feeling,” and it is good. “Thanks-giving” involves an action of giving.

Often in my years of ministry, people have done things for me that fill my heart with gratitude. And in my retirement from full-time church ministry, I have been overwhelmed by the expressions of love and appreciation that have come from so many, many people.

I thank God, and I try to thank persons with a note or a letter which includes everyone. But this never seems enough. So I figure the only way I can truly express the fullness of my feeling of thankfulness is to work diligently at doing the best job possible of teaching the Truth principles that have helped others, both today and in the future.

In short, you can express gratitude or “give thanks” by giving back more of yourself to the people whose lives touch yours.

There are Many Things You Can Give

There are many things you can give to express your thanks to God.

You can give a little time and understanding to your teenage son or daughter who needs to know that you love him or her.

You can give a happy attitude around the house that will brighten up the atmosphere.

You can give a little extra service to your customers, or do a little better job at work.

You can give a word of appreciation to the fellow who fixed your car instead of a look of suspicion that he overcharged you . . . even if he did! Then you are really giving something, and it costs a little more than just a perfunctory “Thank You, God” in prayer.

Do you get the idea?

Here’s an idea that could be better than a hundred Sunday school lessons for your children: When you sit down to your Thanksgiving table, what if you said, “Kids, we sure are grateful for all our blessings. We are grateful for this food, for our health, for your Mommy, for you, and for all the good things that we enjoy and sometimes take for granted. Tell you what we’ll do, we’ll say our Grace and acknowledge that God has given us these things, and then we will take an equal amount to what the dinner cost and we will send it to ____________ (you add whatever organization your family feels is doing a real good job in helping people).”

Later in life, when they imitate their Dad and Mom, they will find that you always get back, in some way or another, more than you gave when you give out of a feeling of thankfulness. It comes back to you, increased and multiplied!

Make this the most unique and rewarding Thanksgiving of your life. Give thanks to God in prayer, yes, but then start looking for needs that people can’t fulfill by themselves, and fill the need for them . . . and don’t tell a soul that you did it!

God is Blessing You, Right Now!

Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham
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If you would like to publish this article or forward it to a friend, please include this resource box.

“Spiritual Solutions” is produced by The Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham, a Unity minister for thirty-seven years, and is offered free of charge to anyone who wants to receive it. To be on my newsletter mailing list and have access to other articles, please go to Spiritual Solutions.

To subscribe to weekday inspirational quotes, go to Rich Words.
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Some of the highlights we learned from the Third Conversation of Brother Lawrence in his book, The Practice of the Presence of God - The Best Rule of a Holy Life, were these:

Once he had established for himself what he felt was the foundation of the spiritual life, he focused on performing all his actions for the love of God to the exclusion of all else. If sometimes he neglected his attention on God’s presence he didn’t waste much time on beating himself up about it but quickly returned to his focus.

His faith and trust in God brought a great awareness of all the blessings he experienced due to this practice, causing him to automatically turn to God for guidance in all his affairs without even having to think about it beforehand.

He didn’t have any great expertise in the formal practice of prayer and meditation; indeed it caused him some anxiety and perplexity. But if in his ordinary everyday affairs he put his attention on God with genuine and loving feelings he was confident in being guided in every aspect of his life; and he felt that no particular knowledge or skill was needed for anyone to experience this for themselves if they would only put the love of God first and foremost in all things.

Now we turn our attention to the Fourth Conversation:

He discoursed with me very frequently, and with great openness of heart, concerning his manner of going to God, whereof some part is related already.

He told me that all consists in one hearty renunciation of everything which we are sensible does not lead to God. That we might accustom ourselves to a continual conversation with Him, with freedom and in simplicity. That we need only to recognize God intimately present with us, to address ourselves to Him every moment, that we may beg His assistance for knowing His will in things doubtful, and for rightly performing those which we plainly see. He requires of us, offering them to Him before we do them, and giving Him thanks when we have done.

That in this conversation with God we are also employed in praising, adoring, and loving Him incessantly for His infinite goodness and perfection.

That without being discouraged on account of our sins, we should pray for His grace with a perfect confidence, as relying upon the infinite merits of our Lord Jesus Christ. That God never failed offering His grace at each action; that he distinctly perceived it, and never failed of it, unless when his thoughts had wandered from a sense of God’s presence, or he had forgotten to ask His assistance.

That God always gave us light in our doubts when we had no other design but to please Him.

That our sanctification did not depend upon changing our works, but in doing that for God’s sake which we commonly do for our own. That it was lamentable to see how many people mistook the means for the end, addicting themselves to certain works, which they performed very imperfectly, by reason of their human or selfish regards.

That the most excellent method he had found of going to God was that of doing our common business without any view of pleasing men, and (as far as we are capable) purely for the love of God.

That it was a great delusion to think that the times of prayer ought to differ from other times; that we are as strictly obliged to adhere to God by action in the time of action as by prayer in the season of prayer.

That his prayer was nothing else but a sense of the presence of God, his soul being at tht time insensible to everything but divine love; and that when the appointed times of prayer were past, he found no difference, because he still continued with God, praising and blessing Him with all his might, so that he passed his life in continual joy; yet hoped that God would give him somewhat to suffer when he should grow stronger.

That we ought, once for all, heartily to put our whole trust in God, and make a total surrender of ourselves to Him, secure that He would not deceive us.

That we ought not to be weary of doing little things for the love of God, who regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed. That we should not wonder if, in the beginning, we often failed in our endeavors, but that at last we should gain a habit, which will naturally produce its acts in us, without our care, and to our exceeding great delight.

That the whole substance of religion was faith, hope, and charity, by the practice of which we become united to the will of God; that all besides is indifferent, and to be used as a means that we may arrive at our end, and be swallowed up therein, by faith and charity.

That all things are possible to him who believes, that they are less difficult to him who hopes; that they are more easy to him who loves, and still more easy to him who perseveres in the practice of these three virtues.

That the end we ought to propose to ourselves is to become, in this life, the most perfect worshipers of God we can possibly be, as we hope to be through all eternity.

That when we enter upon the spiritual life, we should consider and examine to the bottom what we are. And then we should find ourselves worthy of all contempt, and not deserving indeed the name of Christians; subject to all kinds of misery and numberless accidents, which trouble us and cause perpetual vicissitudes in our health, in our humors, in our internal and external dispositions; in fine, persons whom God would humble by many pains and labors, as well within as without. After this we should not wonder that troubles, temptations, oppositions, and contradictions happen to us from men. We ought, on the contrary, to submit ourselves to them, and bear them as long as God pleases, as things highly advantageous to us.

That the greater perfection a soul aspires after, the more dependent it is upon divine grace.

(The particulars which follow are collected from other accounts of Brother Lawrence.)

Being questioned by one of his own society (to whom he was obliged to open himself) by what means he had attained such an habitual sense of God, he told him that, since his first coming to the monastery, he had considered God as the end of all his thoughts and desires, as the mark to which they should tend, and in which they should terminate.

That in the beginning of his novitiate he spent the hours appointed for private prayer in thinking of God, so as to convince his mind of, and to impress deeply upon his heart, the divine existence, rather by devout sentiments, and submission to the lights of faith, than by studied reasonings and elaborate meditations. That by this short and sure method he exercised himself in the knowledge and love of God, resolving to use his utmost endeavor to live in a continual sense of His presence, and, if possible, never to forget Him more.

That when he had thus is prayer filled his mind with great sentiments of that infinite Being, he went to his work appointed in the kitchen (for he was cook to the society). There having first considered severally the things his office required, and when and how each thing was to be done, he spent all the intervals of his time, as well before as after his work, in prayer.

That when he began his business, he said to God, with a filial trust in Him: O my God, since Thou art with me, and I must now, in obedience to Thy commands, apply my mind to these outward things, I beseech Thee to grant me the grace to continue in Thy presence; and to this end do Thou prosper me with Thy assistance, receive all my works, and possess all my affections.

As he proceeded in his work he continued his familiar conversations with his Maker, imploring His grace, and offering to Him all his actions.

When he had finished he examined himself how he had discharged his duty; if he found well, he returned thanks to God; if otherwise, he asked pardon, and, without being discouraged, he set his mind right again, and continued his exercise of the presence of God as if he had never deviated from it. "Thus," said he, "by rising after my falls, and by frequently renewed acts of faith and love, I am come to a state wherein it would be as difficult for me not to think of God as it was at first to accustom my self to it."

As Brother Lawrence had found sucn an advantage in walking in the presence of God, it was natural for him to recommend it earnestly to others; but his example was a stronger inducement than any arguments he could propose. His very countenance was edifying, such a sweet and calm devotion appearing in it as could not but affect the beholders. And it was observed that in the greatest hurry of business in the kitchen he still preserved his recollection and heavenly-mindedness. He was never hasty, nor loitering, but did each thing in its season, with an even, uninterrupted composure and tranquillity of spirit. "The time of business," said he, "does not with me differ from the time of prayer, and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess God in as great tranquillity as if I were upon my knees at the blessed sacrament."

God is Blessing You, Right Now!

Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham

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Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham, a Unity minister for over thirty-six years, invites you to enjoy more articles and/or subscribe to his free inspirational newsletter, Spiritual Solutions or go directly to the Spiritual Solutions Blog

If you’d like to receive weekday inspirational quotes, you can subscribe at Rich Words

I have been asked how a person can donate to "Spiritual Solutions." Just go to Send a Love Offering and it will take you to a form you can use for your donation. Thank you - I am very grateful for your generosity!

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Last week we considered the Preface and the First Conversation in the little book The Practice of the Presence of God - The Best Rule of a Holy Life, by Brother Lawrence. 

The essence of what was covered is as follows: 

We learned the importance of establishing ourselves in a ongoing sense of God’s presence, of continually conversing with God, and of feeding and nourishing our souls with high notions of God, practices which bring feelings of great joy into our everday experience. In other words, we are to praise God and give thanks to God in an ongoing basis, in order to develop a continuing sense of God’s presence in our life through an ever-deepening feeling of gratitude.

And we are to do this without being overly concerned about others “sins” or misdeeds, praying for them but simply leaving that all in God’s hands.

Encouraged to quicken, or enliven, our faith, we are to “give ourselves up to God” in both temporal and spiritual things. As we are faithful in times of “dryness or insensibilities or irksomeness in prayer” we will find that these can be times of spiritual advancement.

Even when we cannot feel God’s presence, we are to continue in our faith in God, in our praise and gratitude toward God for all the blessings in our life.

As we are attentive to our passions in both spiritual and material things, God will give light and direction to those who truly desire to serve God’s highest purpose for our lives.

This week, we turn to the “Second Conversation.”

SECOND CONVERSATION

That he had always been governed by love, without selfish views; and that having resolved to make the love of God the end of all his actions, he had found reasons to be well satisfied with his method. That he was pleased when he could take up a straw from the ground for the love of God, seeking Him only, and nothing else, not even His gifts.

That he had been long troubled in mind from a certain belief that he should be damned; that all men in the world could not have persuaded him to the contrary; but that he had thus reasoned with himself about it: I engaged in a religious life only for the love of God, and I have endeavored to act only for Him; whatever becomes of me, whether I be lost or saved, I will always continue to act purely for the love of God. I shall have this good at least, that till death I shall have done all that is in me to love Him.

That this trouble of mind had lasted four years, during which time he had suffered much; but that at last he had seen that this trouble arose from want of faith, and that since then he had passed his life in perfect liberty and continual joy. That he had placed his sins betwixt him and God, as it were, to tell Him that he did not deserve His favors, but that God still continued to bestow them in abundance.

That in order to form a habit of conversing with God continually, and referring all we do to Him, we must at first apply to Him with some diligence; but that after a little care we should find His love inwardly excite us to it without any difficulty.

That he expected, after the pleasant days God had given him, that he should have his turn of pain and suffering; but that he was not uneasy about it, knowing very well that as he could do nothing of himself, God would not fail to give him strength to bear it.

That when an occasion of practicing some virtue offered, he addressed himself to God, saying, “Lord, I cannot do this unless Thou enablest me;” and that then he received strength more than sufficient.

That when he had failed in his duty, he only confessed to his fault, saying to God, “I shall never do otherwise if you leave me to myself; it is You who must hinder my falling, and mend what is amiss.” That after this he gave himself no further uneasiness about it.

That we ought to act with God in the greatest simplicity, speaking to Him frankly and plainly, and imploring His assistance in our affairs, just as they happen. That God never failed to grant it, as he had often experienced.

That he had lately been sent into Burgundy, to buy the provision of wine for the society, which was a very unwelcome task for him, because he had no turn for business, and because he was lame and could not go about the boat but by rolling himself over the casks. That, however, he gave himself no uneasiness about it, nor about the purchase of the wine. That he said to God, It was His business he was about, and that he afterward found it very well performed. That he had been sent into Auvergne, the year before, upon the same account; that he could not tell how the matter passed, but that it proved very well.

So, likewise, in his business in the kitchen (to which he had naturally a great aversion), having accustomed himself to do everything there for the love of God, and with prayer, upon all occasions, for His grace to do his work well, he had found everything easy, during fifteen years that he had been employed there.

That he was very well pleased with the post he was now in; but that he was as ready to quit that as the former, since he was always pleasing himself in every condition by doing little things for the love of God.

That with him the set times of prayer were not different from other times; that he retired to pray, according to the directions of his superior, but that he did not want such retirement, nor ask for it, because his greatest business did not divert him from God.

That as he knew his obligation to love God in all things, and as he endeavored so to do, he had no need of a director to advise him, but that he needed much a confessor to absolve him. That he was very sensible of his faults, but not discouraged by them; that he confessed them to God, but did not plead against Him to excuse them. When he had so done, he peaceably resumed his usual practice of love and adoration.

That in his trouble of mind he had consulted nobody, but knowing only by the light of faith that God was present, he contented himself with directing all his actins to Him, i.e., doing them with a desire to please Him, let what would come of it.

That useless thoughts spoil all; that the mischief began there; but that we ought to reject them as soon as we perceived their impertinence to the matter in hand, or our salvation, and return to our communion with God.

That at the beginning he had often passed his time appointed for prayer in rejectng wandering thoughts and falling back into them. That he could never regulate his devotion by certain methods as some do. That, nevertheless, at first he had meditated for some time, but afterward that went off, in a manner he could give no account of.

That all bodily mortifications and other exercises are useless, except as they serve to arrive at the union with God by love; that he had well considered this, and found it the shortest way to go straight to Him  by a continual exercise of love and doing all things for His sake.

That we ought to make a great difference between the acts of the understanding and those of the will; that the first were comparatively of little value, and the others, all. That our only business was to love and delight ourselves in God.

That all possible kinds of mortification, if they were void of the love of God, could not efface a single sin. That we ought, without anxiety, to expect the pardon of our sins from the blood of Jesus Christ, only endeavoring to love Him with all our hearts. That God seemed to have granted the greatest favors to the greatest sinners, as more signal monuments of His mercy.

That the greatest pains or pleasures of this world were not to be compated with what he had experienced of both kinds in a spiritual state; so that he was careful for nothing and feared nothing, desiring only one thing of God, viz., that he might not offend Him.

That he had no scruples; for, said he, when I fail in my duty, I readily acknowledge it, saying, I am used to do so; I shall never do otherwise if I am left to myself. If I fail not, then I give God thanks, acknowledging that the strength comes from Him.

God is Blessing You, Right Now!

Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham
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Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham, a Unity minister for over thirty-six years, invites you to enjoy more articles and/or subscribe to his free inspirational newsletter, Spiritual Solutions or go directly to the Spiritual Solutions Blog

If you’d like to receive weekday inspirational quotes, you can subscribe at Rich Words

I have been asked how a person can donate to “Spiritual Solutions.” Just go to Send a Love Offering and it will take you to a form you can use for your donation. Thank you - I am very grateful for your generosity!
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The key to Thanksgiving is the greatness that is within us.  When we are grateful, we are full of greatness, and we relate to life at the highest level of our being. We think good thoughts about our circumstances and people. 

On the evening news a couple of days ago there was story of a farmer in a small town in Indiana. He had been weakened by a serious illness and the subsequent chemotherapy and radiation treatments, so much so that he was not able to operate the equipment he needed to harvest his crop of corn. 

The story told how a group of neighboring farmers came together in their desire to help the farmer in his distress.   Even before they harvested their own crops, to the utter amazement of the farmer who had been unable to do it himself, they used their own machines to harvest their neighbor’s corn for him. 

One of the farmers was asked about his involvement in this project and why he took part in it. With a smile he responded that he didn’t want to be left out, he wanted to be in the loop along with those who wanted to help their neighbor. 

The story reminds me that the Hebrew word for thanksgiving also means “a stretching forth of open hands.” In this consciousness our question of “What do we have to be thankful for this Thanksgiving?” becomes instead “What do we have to be thankful from?” And the “give” in Thanks-giving takes on the more important role. 

This way of thinking about Thanksgiving can open the way for a dynamic experience for you. Practice it this Thanksgiving, and you will experience a release of tremendous power.  

Look away from the challenges and the needs whatever they may be, even from the obvious blessings of life, and make your inner contact with the creative process of Spirit. Then stretch forth your hands in a giving consciousness. Let your mind think God thoughts, good thoughts, and positive thoughts.  Rather than look about and wondering what you have to give thanks for, you will rejoice in what you have to give thanks from, and you will give it freely and lovingly. 

So the true Thanksgiving experience which any one of us can have should be a day of forgiveness, a day of praise, and a day of giving ourselves to others. 

The following podcast is a recording of a message I gave on Thanksgiving Day in 1998. I think you may find something of value in it, so if you would like to listen to it turn up the sound on your computer and just click on the “play now” button. Or download it to your computer if you wish.

Play Now:

 Thanksgiving [31:52m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download