God's law of Enough

Many people are looking for jobs today, or fear losing their present position.

While praying about unemployment recently, I found myself mentally fighting the claim that there are not enough jobs to go around. There is a shortage of positions for the large number of workers seeking them, the carnal mind aggressively argued.

I immediately identified the claim as a lie , because I know there is never lack in God’s kingdom. There are enough jobs for everyone, I exclaimed.

And then it occurred to me how important it is to pray for everyone in the workforce when facing the issue of unemployment. It is not well enough to pray only for one’s self to find a job, for if one held in thought the possibility of someone else being unemployed because of unfavorable economic conditions, that same belief could very well hold that person back from finding employment.

We live out what we hold in thought. So if we’re battling the belief that there are not enough jobs for everyone, we need to know that there are enough jobs for everyone.

God’s law of Enough! The phrase formed in my mind.

That’s right! I exalted. We’re all governed by “God’s law of Enough!”

There is always enough good to go around for one and all. It’s the way of universal infinite Love.

When I pray for better health, I never fear not finding it because someone else is struggling with disease. I know health comes from God, and it’s unending, ever-present, built into our spiritual individuality which no one ever loses.

When I pray for more love, I never fear not finding it because my neighbor is fighting with his spouse. I know it comes from God, and it’s infinite, equally available to anyone, anytime, anywhere.

When I pray for supply, I never fear not finding it because my neighbor filed for bankruptcy. I know supply is spiritual, coming from God, in the form of wisdom, love, creativity, and inspiration, and there is never a lack of it. Supply is available to one and all.

Demonstrating enough of God’s good is about understanding “God’s law of Enough.” There is enough goodness to go around for everyone, including gainful employment that demonstrates worth and value and generates a profitable return. The opportunities and possibilities come from God, and they are without limit.

God’s law of Enough. I like it. It rings true. It uplifts and inspires one’s sense of possibility. It takes thought out of the mindless dungeon of feeling hopeless and impoverished, and puts it upon the mountaintop of Truth where the expansive view of God’s blessings and gifts is readily taken in, and enough of God’s goodness is found.

There is enough of this goodness for you too. For after all, you are governed by “God’s law of Enough,” and that is enough!

“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.” II Cor 9:8

Going into the practice

I occasionally talk with individuals who would love to go into the full-time practice of Christian Science healing, but entertain many fears and doubts as to their readiness or capacity to succeed.

Questions and concerns frequently voiced include, “Do I have enough understanding? Are my prayers effective? Will anyone ask me for help?”

When I hear these worries expressed, I point out that going into the practice is all about wanting to help and heal others. Success grows out of genuine desire to see other people cured of their suffering. It’s not a function of how many years one has studied the truth or how well known they are in community circles. It’s a function of love.

For instance, take the comforting instinct of a caring mother. If her child is in physical distress, she does not walk away into a different room and ponder first whether she is qualified to help. She immediately comes to the aid of her child and does whatever she can to relieve the suffering and bring comfort. She does not stand around worrying first about whether she can help. She jumps in and helps, and through prayer, listening, reasoning, thinking and responding, brings comfort to her little one. Her qualifications to help are her unwavering love and absolute care for her chidlren. Her concern for their safety and well being impels her to their aid no matter what. There is no question in her mind about whether she should help or not. She does it because it’s the right thing to do and she always finds an answer that makes a difference.

The Christian Science practice is about loving others, helping others, coming to the aid of those in distress. Success grows out of desire to make a positive difference in other people’s lives.

The real question is not, “Do I have enough understanding?” It’s “Do I have enough love? Do I care enough?”

When we genuinely want to help our neighbor, we find the resources to do it. Our ability to help grows out of our love and yearning to restore hope, promise, health and healing into the lives of our friends, relatives and neighbors.

Like the Good Samaritan Jesus talks about in the Bible, the person who truly loves his or her neighbor cannot walk by someone who is suffering and in pain and ignore them. It’s impossible. The heart of Love goes out to those in need and yearns to see comfort and healing restored.

A person who loves their neighbor cannot idle hours away in the lounge chair of indifference and selfish satisfaction while a neighbor across the street struggles in pain and teeters on the edge of death.

Love for God and neighbor is what impels success in the Christian Science practice. It’s all about taking what one knows about the infinite love of God for man, and demonstrating that love in real life circumstances.

Millions of people suffer today, feeling hopeless, lost, confused and full of fear. They need help. They need comfort. They need healing. They need the Christ-touch of Love that Christian Science is capable of giving them. Those who are ready to respond will be given the understanding, support, confidence and faith they need to make a positive difference. God will ensure that, for God blesses the right unselfish desire and the honest effort.

The big question is: Will you respond? Do you love enough?

“Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye
have received, freely give.” Jesus Christ

“Millions of unprejudiced minds — simple seekers for Truth, weary wanderers, athirst in the desert — are waiting and watching for rest and drink. Give them a cup of cold water in Christ's name, and never fear the consequences.” Mary Baker Eddy

Employment opportunities increasing

To preserve one’s success, progress and prosperity, it’s important to daily defend thought from external negative mental influence. Like guarding the front door to our home, we do not let strangers in that cause havoc and destruction. We are wise about the guests we allow to enter in order to preserve peace on the home front.

If you like to work and demonstrate worth and value, one statistic that needs to be guarded against today is the rising unemployment rate that has been widely broadcast across the media. Economists have been forecasting a rising rate through the rest of the year, and high unemployment into 2011.

From a spiritual point of view, the rising number means employment opportunities are increasing, not decreasing.

Employment is about working for God, helping one’s neighbor, serving a useful purpose, making a positive difference, engaging with work that generates profit, productively using one’s time and effort to meet needs. Wherever there is a need, there is an employment opportunity.

According to the press, people’s needs have been increasing, not decreasing. And that means there is greater work than ever for those willing to help. And there is a reward to reap.

The belief that there is not enough money to go around and pay wages is illusion.

It’s been interesting to watch the stock market. Investors have pulled out of the market over the last couple of years and prices have declined dramatically. There is no shortage of money to invest. Billions of dollars are sitting on the sidelines waiting for what investors consider ripe opportunities to invest. When that moment hits, the money will flow back in. There is no lack of funds to invest.

With employment, the money is present in the economy to pay wages. That is not a problem. It’s a matter of allocating funds to the most productive and worthwhile purposes. And the resources are going to wait, or flow, in the direction of those serving those most productive and valuable purposes.

I look to the Christian Science practice as the ultimate model for demonstrating employment. Practitioners help people in need. The opportunities to help and income possible has nothing to do with an employment rate, economic forecasts, downturns or upturns. It’s all about drawing upon the infinite resources of divine Love and blessing others with those resources. People have needs, practitioners can meet those needs spiritually, people call for help, healing happens, and gratitude is expressed in practical ways that meet the practitioner’s human needs. People needing the help find the funds they need to receive the help they are looking for just like investors find the funds they need when opportunities are right in the market. There is no lack, but there is a redistribution of resources to the places that bring the greatest benefit.

Any type of worker has a valuable service to offer through the resources of Love he or she puts into practice. These resources come from God and are without limit. When the needs of humanity are great, employment opportunities are even greater.

Jesus Christ went about doing good works for others. He never worried about the economy at large, or suffered from it. He drew upon the infinite resources of wisdom, love and spiritual mindedness to keep fully employed and do his work well. And his human needs were met every day. It’s the way of Love, and a path we all can walk down and benefit from.