Superior Index Go to the next: Chapter 12
Print Files: A4 Size.
Think on my words, "He who seeks to save his life shall lose it."1 When you ponder the thought of unceasing prayer, consider those who fear to turn their consciousness to God lest they should miss something going on in the world around them. These seek to save their lives by involvement in the changing outer world. Those who lose (loose) their lives for my sake, by entering into the same communion with the Father which I did, truly find their life again; for only as God can live in man who exists in very being itself, life itself, does man really possess eternal life.
There is no selfishness in the Father, but only the buoyant desire to raise each lifestream into cosmic dimension. To do this before the disciple is prepared to carry the attendant responsibility could unbalance and even destroy the developing consciousness. The chalice of individuality must expand its own capacity and strength through divine grace in order that one's portion of Infinity will not overflow the banks of the chaliced cup.
Blessed ones, it is unnecessary for you to strain or to struggle in order to achieve communion with God. He is not far from you; and as near as heartbeat or thought, he can flood you with a surge of his renewing strength. Each night when you enjoy restful sleep, you experience a recharging of your blessed bodies and minds with the purity of divine energy. The extroversion of human thought and its expenditure upon myriad trivia through the day take you away from the strength of your Source. Because your energy is then depleted and its levels have fallen, you do need to renovate your consciousness, which has passed through the turmoil of a busy day.
How frequently I found during my own mission that by going up into the mountains to pray, getting away from the madding crowd, or curling up in one end of a ship, I was able to renew my strength and perform a greater ministry of service and healing.2 All who would follow in my footsteps must understand that unless they are able to contact the great Source of life and continually renew their strength, their mission will not be carried forth in the manner desired by God. You cannot, as you say, "burn the candle at both ends" and expect it to last. Yet when it is needed, there is a limitless flow of divine strength that can be acquired as you learn to use the charging methods of divine prayer during the busiest time of the day.
Some of you are aware of the fact that the prince of this world3 will often create a division in your mind by arranging two or more control points which clamor for your attention at the same time. In the rapid switching back and forth of your attention, your energy level drops dangerously; and when it is extremely low, that is just when the forces of negation rush in to trigger a sudden burst of anger or discouragement.4
This is an entirely different situation from the natural two-way flow of consciousness that can be achieved through holy communion with God right while you carry on your activities in the world. In the former case, the attention is being jockeyed back and forth between centers of interest. In the latter, your attention is moving from the world to God and from God to the world.
You need have no fear or distress that unceasing communion will disturb the efficiency of your tasks. I can truly tell you from experience that even when you are involved in difficult matters, if you carry your attention upward toward the Father and fear not the flow of his attention upon you, you can actually bathe the disquieted energies in your world with the harmony of God. And when your attention returns back into the world of form, it will no longer manifest the inharmony and imperfection that it formerly did.
Many people fear to take to God those distressing problems which involve their own personal guilt, whereas others, working in the opposite direction, seem to almost enjoy telling God how very unworthy they are. We would clarify for the benefit of all. Insofar as impure acts and thoughts go, bringing them to God for purification is in a very real sense bringing your iniquities to heaven for judgment ahead of time, thus removing from the karmic record, in many cases, the need for future recompense. "Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after."5
As a mother comforts a sobbing child, so God can and does quiet the restless energies that you seem unable to govern. When you keep your problems to yourself, as though they could thus be hidden from his eye, often they are only intensified and your distress increases rather than lessens. In the matter of those who tell God how unworthy they are and appear to revel in so doing, this in most cases is the overriding of a rebellious entity or discarnate which manipulates their feelings to no good end.
You know, precious ones, the evil spirits that have lived in the world in the past and who are now out of the body, together with those possessing entities that attach themselves to individuals because they love darkness rather than light, enjoy performing acts which they suspect might give distress to the Creator of the universe. This attitude is difficult for many to understand; but like that psychological trait known as masochism or self-abuse, the attempt of these spirits to flagellate the Deity by acclaiming their own dire condition actually feeds their egos and is intended to make those whom they control enjoy being sinners.
When the sincere disciple brings to the Father all of his energy for purification, God is truly able to wash and to regenerate with his love and attention the developing son and bring him to maturity. In cases where extreme perversions have been practiced, it will be necessary that the individual make application for forgiveness with deep sincerity and follow the injunction "Go, and sin no more."6 Those in the latter category must of necessity strive until they have won a relative state of victory over the outer condition and understand that the demons of ego and rebellion must be put down.
There is a law involved here that states that man is accountable for that which he creates. Those who have created or harbored a rebellious spirit must themselves bring it under control and then approach God with humility that they, too, may be received and their energies purified. There is never any question whatsoever concerning the will of God to receive the prodigal son back to his heart. Therefore, no one should make unworthiness an excuse for not engaging in holy prayer. The worthy need to progress and the unworthy to disentangle themselves from the enchantments of the world.
More things are indeed wrought by prayer than the world dreams of.7 Yet ordinary prayer, strenuously engaged in, that cries out for emergency help in time of need, is not to be compared with that steadfast outreach for God that understands communion as a most fortunate means to the end of personal freedom.
In memory of our Father's everlasting love for all, I remain