Busy, Busy, Busy!!

I was all prepared to let you know why it's been so long since my last post....why I've been so busy. But then I heard E.J.'s inspiration and Rev. Brian's message last Sunday. The message was entitled "Beat The Rush" and was interesting and engaging. I'm not sure it sank in all the way for me though...good thing I have it on CD so I can take another listen!

The week before last Rev. Brian spoke about prayer. I have to admit...I've been thinking about much of what he said ever since. One sentence in particular seems to have been rolling around in my head since that morning, "Prayer doesn't change God's mind." It made me think back to when I was a teenager and involved in the Protestant Church. Prayer was something we talked about quite a bit and, like in Religious Science, there was a way in which we learned to pray. This may sound familiar to those of you who were involved in more traditional/fundamental religions before finding Religious Science.

1. Acknowledge you are a sinner and ask forgiveness for those sins you have committed.
2. Ask God for what you want/need.
3. Thank God for everything you have been given.
4. Amen.

I can remember laying in my bed at night (why was prayer more effective when spoken at night?), clasping my hands together and begging forgiveness for whatever teen aged transgressions I had committed that day. Then I went about the business of asking for what I wanted...the whole point of the prayer. Usually it was for some material item or for the boy of my dreams to fall madly in love with me. But so often those prayers did not come true, it was as if they were only a dream or fairy tale that would not be realized. And it was only this week that I realized.....I never felt like I deserved what I was asking for! It seems so obvious now....why would I ever feel like I deserved the things my heart truly desired when I was so busy being a "sinner?"

Prayer or Spiritual Mind Treatment is such a breath of fresh air now! The steps we follow remind us that God is all there is and that we are made of God. We know that we have a divine nature and that, not only do we deserve the desires of our heart, but they are already ours. That is what the "Realization" step is for...not to ask for what we want, but to realize that it already exists. When I'm not getting what I want from my life, and if I take a moment to assess the situation, I usually discover that there is some fear or doubt that is creating an obstacle. I forget who I really am and who God really is. When I go into prayer or meditation it is a way to reconnect with Spirit, to remember that I am perfect, whole and complete. Only then do the fears and doubts fall away, as do the obstacles, and then I can create all the things I truly desire. So as Rev. Brian said, prayer really doesn't "change God's mind." But I do think it changes OUR mind....it REminds us of our true nature and allows us to create the life we really want. Isn't that awesome!!

If you would like more specific information on Spiritual Mind Treatment please click HERE.

Hugs and Love,

Cindy Huff