I frequently ask people what, if they are still unfulfilled, is the most urgent need in their lives. Some say they want health, others plump for happiness, and for seven out of ten prosperity seems to be the most important thing. "Give me money," they say, "for with it I shall be able to buy all the things I need, plus the extra luxuries I would like to have." I shake my head sadly because I know that any man who, even with great wealth, is lacking in health and happiness is a beggar indeed.
If you were to ask me what I want, I would reply, "An idea, the very clear idea of who and what I am, and of what my function here on earth is." I see too many who are square pegs in round holes. Some having money are miserable, others are happy, but poor, and many have health unallied to happiness. That is why I would ask for a knowledge of my own identity, because I realize intuitively that with that idea firmly implanted in me, everything would have to fall into place. Like the little pieces in a jig-saw puzzle they would form a composite picture, in my case of health, happiness and security.
I know, as most of us do, that God created man, but I want something deeper than a superficial acceptance of an obvious fact, the INNER REALIZATION of the Truth of all Being, and in answer to my cry He replies, "Listen to My Voice and I will be your plenteous Good." Is this some anthropomorphic being in the sky, a person to whom I must listen? As I ponder this, the realization comes over me that my voice is His Voice, for there is but one Presence extant, and that one HlS, and MINE too, because there is no separation between the Creator and His created. Consequently I listen to what I have to say for Good from the moment when I awaken in the morning to the time when I drop off to sleep when day is done. In the interim I have much to think about, knowing that He is talking only of that which is Perfection. Of disease He says, "That is a lie, Health is a Verity, as is Harmony, but unhappiness is an illusion." Can there be a consciousness of poverty while He is Prosperity, complete Security? In the watches of the night I talk to myself asking myself if perhaps it is He who is speaking through me. And as I consider this, I know that if the trend of my thought and conversation is good, if my words carry with them an upward swing, it is He who is speaking through me. If my words are those of poverty, sickness, error, negation and lies, then it is not God who is uttering them, for they are not in tune with that which is perfection.
As the years roll by this vision of Him who is talking through me gets stronger, more authoritative. The recognition builds up in me that this Presence, which constitutes the entire universe, is unlimited in the visible and the invisible and that the more I talk about His Good to myself and others, the greater will become my consciousness of cosmic oneness. Then, looking at my hands, and yours, I can say with conviction that they, each with its small fingers, are His. Does that seem possible to you ? Can the span of a human hand contain creation? lt can, and it does, for those seeming physical hands, if they are open, can never be empty, limited or circumscribed; only if they are closed - in fear - in an effort to "hold on" - can the lnfinite Presence (as far as the individual awareness is concerned) be squeezed out of them. I can see whether these hands of mine are open or shut and as, deliberately, I keep them open so that the Universal Presence of God may flow freely through them, my realization of (not belief in) their innate Abundance becomes deeper and deeper. I cannot give with my hands - which are only the vehicles of God's bestowing and receiving - if my mind and emotions are bound in fear.
As I think along these lines I can discern who you and I are - in spite of your conditions, problems and restrictions -, and in every talk I have with people about their difficulties, I literally beg them to GIVE AWAY their fear. I try to convince them that they are holding on to nothingness as they shut out the Presence of Omniscience and Omnipotence which is longing to become in and through them their health, happiness and prosperity, in no niggardly measure but in unlimited amplitude to share and to spare. Because I know of this, I do not ask for qualities or things.
Many years ago His Voice said through me, to me, "No limit has been imposed upon you (or any other human being). Whatever you want to give, you can give, so screw your courage to the sticking point and begin distributing and releasing. Often at first you may be frightened by conditions, obstructions will loom so large that you will think they cannot be overcome, but let nothing you dismay. Continue your giving for the measure thereof will be the gauge of the understanding you have of My Self-expressing in you, through you and AS you."
With this in mind l did not stop and the idea has proved itself (as it became an externalized Reality), so what you need is an IDEA, not a “thought” which is, just the manifestation of an idea. A home is the idea of Iove, a car an idea of comfort, books an idea of reading and intelligence. You have to find the spiritual prototype of what you want and then to ask for it to manifest itself. You don't, of course, dictate as to how it shall come about.
The other night the question was put to me, “Do you think it will be for the good of all concerned if I ask God for this idea?" and I replied that everything that comes from Him comes under grace and in a perfect way - that is, with no sorrow added. He does not give with one hand and take away with the other. There is no lack of God in any life, and He does not withdraw Himself into such a high rate of vibration-that we cannot contact Him. We fail to demonstrate only because we are lacking in the steadfastness that does not give up. Knowledge follows upon persistency of purpose: until you have tried something out, you cannot experience it.
Think for a moment that your body has within it the unlimited wealth that is God in whatever form you need it, and that when you listen to His Voice those riches will come into being for you. In the Bible we read, "Hearken unto the Voice of Jehovah, and He will give you plenteous of good." I put it into modern language and say, "Listen to the Voice of God and He will express His plenteous Good in you, through you and AS you."
It is for you to begin as I did to listen to what you say, which - if you are in contact with God - will be the Divine Idea you need, but if you are merely babbling negatively you will not receive anything because you will have been hearkening to the voice of nothingness.
One simple idea is all you require in order to make your material fortune with the spiritual attributes of health, joy and fearlessness added, but for this to happen you must be attuned to God. If I put my hand in my pocket and find that there is nothing there, I shall - by becoming sad and dejected - transfer that emptiness to my heart, but I shall not create it, for nothingness is merely an illusion, ii is not a problem or a structure. I can look at it and if I view it in terms of integration with God, I shall see His idea come forth into fulfilment as Good, but if I look at it in terms of separation from Him, this too will externalize itself as loss, poverty and insecurity.
We all listen to the Voice of God the whole day long; we never stop so doing, but we have ourselves to think, feel and speak constructively if we want the Good to persist in our lives. We have to watch our hands, to test these Hands of God, which are never found to be wanting. The problems and difficulties we meet come to stimulate us, to force us to seek a broader vision, and to expand our consciousness. God can work only through us, so it is we who must release ever more and more of His Substance.
Many are called but few are chosen, not because God does not choose them, but because when they have achieved a certain degree of understanding, or consciousness, they start to panic, fearing that Truth will not work beyond that particular point. When you set out it is not so difficult, you have a Path, you realize that you are on an adventure with God, but when you fall by the wayside and give up, you feel that you have let Him down, and it is not easy to climb back. We put our hands to the plough, but the effort is too great, we tire and give up. lt is a strain to think, speak, feel and act constructively all day long, but that is what we are here for. In any case, we cannot stop this process, we can only change its direction from the positive to the negative, so let us listen to His Voice of Good, speak with It, and act with His Hands. If we do so the world and all that's in it will be ours and we, the man in the street, the members of every Church, the black, brown, white and yellow shall have access to every Spiritual Idea in whatever form we and they need It. It is the spoken word of Good which releases the Idea, building It up into consciousness, or knowledge.
The other day someone asked me what consciousness meant and I replied, "lf I banged a big drum with my fist, would you hear it?'' "Of course I should," was the answer. "Well," I said, "you would be conscious of the noise, you would experience it, know it. So it is with Truth. Consciousness is an inner realization of the quality you need, so will you think about this and prove it for yourself as you listen to the Voice of God who shall be your “PLENTEOUS OF GOOD "
Source: Page 261, May 1973 - THE PATH OF TRUTH
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