October 14th, my wife returned home in the afternoon after a busy day in town, and asked me, “Did you notice all the changes in daylight and atmosphere this morning?” She was referring to the solar eclipse that happened in our part of the country. “I did not,” I said, and then asked her what she was talking about. She reminded me that the Annular Solar Eclipse, which had been widely publicized, had occurred that morning. “Oh, you’re right,” I remembered. “I was so busy working in my office that I didn’t notice what was happening outside.” I explained.
Afterward, I thought about how easy it is to not notice significant events around you if your thought is absorbed elsewhere. I have large windows in my office. It wouldn’t have taken much to notice the changes in daylight outside, if I had been even partially aware of what was going on around me. But I was not. I was thinking about other things.
Missing the eclipse was fine with me. I was doing important metaphysical work, helping people find inspiration and freedom from suffering and pain. But there was a significant lesson I gleaned from the experience that grabbed my attention.
In my case, my attention was so absorbed with spiritual sense that I missed out on an experience in material sense. No worries. That’s okay. I agreed. But what if the reverse is the case? What if our attention is so absorbed in material sense, that we miss out on grand good coming to us through spiritual sense?
People often complain that they aren’t experiencing God’s goodness. If so, we might ask the question, “Are we paying attention? Are we tuned in spiritually to receive God’s goodness coming our way?”
Like me missing the eclipse, if I would have been paying attention, I would have seen it.
God is All-in-all. God’s good is everywhere to be seen and experienced, not through material sense, but through spiritual sense. If you’d like to see more of it, look. Pay attention through spiritual sense. You’ll find it, because it’s there to be seen, just like the eclipse was there to be seen if I would have been paying attention.
Interesting lesson and moral of the story, thanks for sharing Evan ☺️
Today a popular concept is Mindfulness. A speaker in one of my lectures used the word. Someone said I keep hearing this word but don’t know what it means. We all had to pause to try to explain it. It’s being present for everything. Not a new concept but a forgotten one often as we claw down our to do lists. You do see good everywhere when you are present with what you are doing Even if it is standing in a doorway present for 30 seconds. Thank you for this reminder.
Thank you, Evan, for this timely reminder to be conscious or ‘mindful’ of God’s presence in our lives, his blessings, power and protection of all.
Thank you Evan – very helpful example.
As I see it, if we practice paying attention to God at all times, we will not miss
anything that is beautiful and good and spiritually inspiring. God will direct
our attention to what we will benefit from of His beautiful Creation and at the
same time keep us in the spiritual realm.. He wants us to enjoy His lovely work,
and be joyful – and that is worth paying attention to. So it pays to be alert
and protect ourselves from being distracted by merely material suggestions,
and keep ourselves in the light of Spirit.
I like what you said Maggie, that if we practice paying attention to God at all times we won’t miss what is good and beautiful, and to let God direct our attention to what is best for us. I think that practice is another way of saying “pray without ceasing.” (1 Thess 5:17). We are all conscious beings, therefore we are always aware of or paying attention to something, what that something is makes all the difference in our experience.
Evan thanks for an excellent metaphor to remind us that the fullness of God’s good is always present for us to notice and enjoy and be enriched by.
Thank you Evan. I really needed this. Having to get going early this morning,
and not really being a “morning person”, I was feeling rather down. Your inspiration
inspired me to look out the windows that are fogged over this morning from the cold,
to see a sunrise taking place, highlighting beautifully the trees and fields
Thank you.
Carol I also have always said, “I’m not a morning person” so I understand how you felt I think maybe I have to start shedding this limiting idea about myself. God is my God and is with me morning, afternoon, evening, night, while sleeping, waking, every moment, always. If I reflect Him/Her, then spiritually speaking, I can be at my best and be productive and happy at any time. More to ponder. Glad you looked beyond and enjoyed the sunrise.
Oh, I totally agree, Rose! God’s Love is with us always and always
there for us, regardless the circumstance or hour. Thank you for
your thoughts on this.
I love this! At times so absorbed in the material sense of things (distractions, discord, confusion, etc) we totally “miss the eclipse,” in other words we miss what is the spiritual reality at that moment and the consequent verdict of perfection! What a great reminder to keep our head in the spiritual game!
So grateful for these ideas you share with us, Evan. 🙂 Blessed day, everyone!
At times, I set my watch or my smart phone to make a small little sound on the hour, during my intended waking hours to stop, look, listen, and think, paying attention to what God is doing and saying. To put everything else aside in order to thank God, by being fully conscious and appreciative of infinite good. No matter what.
HOW TO ‘LIVE IN THE SPIRIT’ – Rosalie Dunbar with contributions from Marian English:
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/2l24ckpliqy
Thank you dear J and Dessert Girl and Chris and Cheryl for the great
articles. I love in the “How to live in the Spirit” article, J , where she
writes, “[Jesus’] resurrection put to silence the fears and limitation of
materialy based doubts. His resurrection, [and also our resurrection]
is Spiritualization of Thought”. We rise spiritually with each demonstrable
proof of God’s being. I am feeling such gratitude right now for the kindness
and love shared today and for my little car’s perfection with it’s maintenance
and passing the inspection. As I walked through the breezeway, rainbows
were everywhere from a prism I have in the window, so that was a great
sign that God is ever-present and all would be well, which it was.
A chuckle from the article where she mentioned about patience and with
everyone being tested… where she mentioned driving in heavy traffic. I had
seen a quote,
“Patience is something you admire in the driver behind you, but not so much
with the one ahead.” : )
Dear precious friends. I have found this article to be a good reminder of where we need to keep our thought.
https://journal.christianscience.com/shared/view/22v2sz8vamy?s
Thank you, Desert Girl, for Dr. Stark’s article which explains the necessity of single-mindedness and that we are not alone in our spiritual progress for God works with us. Thank you, Evan (and Kathy) for today’s inspiring SpiritView! ❤️
Just finished reading an article in the October 16 Sentinel entitled what does it mean to manifest good the caption underneath the article stated “manifesting is not trying to gain something good but understanding that nothing good is absent because God is always here”..
Thank you, Chris Bailey.
Is this link readable to everyone?
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/1z671sb66zo?s=copylink
Thank you Cheryl, the link opens fully for all, and thanks to Chris as well. Looking forward to reading this later. Great day to all!
Leaving all and engrossed in God directed activities is always encouraging and filled with joyfulness and rewarding. Thanks Evan sir for inspiring to miss the material for Spiritual.
After being a bit anxious over having to have my car serviced and state inspected,
I am so very grateful that after a minor correction, all is well. While waiting to have
the work done, I kept Knowing everything to be alright. I am so grateful, also, to
have discovered this service station, where everyone is so friendly and helpful, and
so close and they work on and specialize in older cars, of which mine is perfect for me.
I have been knowing that all would be well, but with an older car, I must admit there
was a bit of angst, especially in today’s environment.
Looking Up to our Higher Power/God, within, proved successful, of course, as the
gentleman servicing the car said, “It worked out easily” as some can be a lot more
difficult. I didn’t let on that I had been praying the whole time, while he thought I
was just reading. God is Good.
Very uplifting. Thank you Evan and all.
Thanks Evan,
For sharing this experience with us. I understand that as infinite as God, good is, there is plenty of good for everyone and whatever good we need is right where we are; dwelling in God, good, love. O’ Lord, we thank you for your goodness, your divine love!