I was walking through the kitchen one day, and a loud voice inside said, “You should grab some snack food since you’re passing through.” Often, I might listen to that voice, grab some peanuts or crackers, and continue my way. But this time, I stopped and questioned the voice.
I thought, “I don’t need any snack food. I’m perfectly content with the last meal I ate, and anything I eat now would be pure self-indulgence, extra food that I don’t need.” I kept walking, and happily so, without snack food in hand.
Afterward, I thought about what happened, how voices come into our thinking telling us what to do. And how important it is to question those voices and not let them lead us to do things that are not in our best interest to do. We need to be discerning.
We need to ask, “Is this the voice of God speaking to me? Or am I being gullible, listening to ignorant selfish mortal mind?”
The impulses come in many forms. It could be a temptation to criticize a family member or neighbor, when we should be quiet and trust their care to God’s wise direction. It could be deciding to laze around, being unproductive when there are important projects one should be doing. It could be suggestions of sickness rolling in that need to be vehemently denied and shut out.
The point being, be discerning! Just because a thought rolls across our mind, doesn’t mean we should act on it. We have God-given dominion to act on right thoughts and reject harmful ones.
If it’s not coming from God, resist it. If it’s coming from God, run with it. Be discerning.
Very beautiful and very inspiring, Evan. Thank you so much. I find that even as we’re about to speak to another individual, it’s best to reach out and listen for God’s direction as to what will best promote our spiritual growth and that of the other individual’s. God is always present and his direction is always available. It’s there to guide us 24/7.
Love that message!!!
It’s God’s thoughts passing to Man.. like standing porter at the door! Thanks, Evan for the reminder to stay watchful and listen for God’s loving guidance.
Very, very helpful!! a real uncovering of the subtle ways error would deflect us from good.
Here’s a definition of RESIST (American Heritage Dictionary)
“To take action in opposition to; work to eliminate, reduce, or stop”: [Stop whatever is not good? Don’t we all want to do that?]
“To take action to defeat or thwart.” [Counteract error’s claims that it’s more powerful than good. We must prove it is nothingness.]
“To keep from giving in to, engaging in, or enjoying.” [you explain the benefits of this perfectly. What joy can come in diminishing self-respect?]
[I love this last one, for once a temptation is overcome, it’s seen as having had no power or reality, no influence whatsoever.]
“To remain unaltered, undamaged, or unaffected by;:” [To remain God’s perfect child.]
Looking back over the past year, I see now how many “little foxes have spoiled the vines” of my thinking. So subtle, so innocent, so naive.
Thank you, Evan, for waking me up!
Excellent post, Evan. Thank you.
Wow! What an eye-opener!
“EYES. Spiritual Discernment.” (S&H p. 586:3)
Wow! What an eye-opener!
“EYES. Spiritual Discernment.” (S&H p. 586:3)
Wow! What an eye-opener!
“EYES. Spiritual Discernment.” (S&H p. 586:3)
Exactly what I needed to hear this morning, Evan. Thank You. It
seems we are surrounded by false gods that often scream at us to
listen to them – “self indulgence” that is not conducive (and gets us
nowhere) to our or other’s pure innocence – and is best to avoid
these voices of matter.
I just saw a V shape of geese pass the window. They were honking
and Encouraging each other with the draft and helpfulness of each
other’s guidance and togetherness. In this case, Listening to each
other, helps ones who may need this extra nudge to keep them going
in the right direction – towards a Spiritual view, not material.
Like geese, this encouragement helps all of us to progress.
Love this! Thank you!❣️
“My thoughts or God’s thoughts?” By Eleanor Duram. From the October 2024 issue of The Christian Science Journal:
https://journal.christianscience.com/shared/view/2drh22u06xs?s=copylink
Thank you Evan. In an online neighborhood forum, someone mentioned that a person from a utility company came to her door, saying they needed to come inside her home to check a gas leak. She asked the person for ID. He said he had to go back to his car to get it, but never returned. This is a scam going around where a person lets someone in their home, and while that person is distracted, a second person will enter into the home to steal valuables. It made me think that just as I would be super diligent and very discerning about not letting someone into my home, I need to be equally diligent and discerning as to what thoughts I let into my mental home/consciousness.
Thank you for sharing the inspirational article! It was so helpful to me.
wonderful, thankyou. after many years of enjoying Spirit view, I have not been receiving it. i have to go to the old. one and click on new. I subscibed many times again and again. I miss my morning lift. how can I get it back. thank you.
Inez: It sounds like perhaps your email provider has blocked spirit view emails. This can happen even when you did nothing to make it happen. I know that occasionally my Spirit View emails come in in my spam folder instead of my inbox! One thing you could try, if you wish, is to open a new email (sometimes known as a throw away email) from a different email provider and use that email address only for Spirit View. For example, I have my main email on Google – gmail. I also have another one on Yahoo email. I hope this might help you. Blessings and Peace, Granny Ginny
P.S. to Innez Another thing which night be easier is to put a Quick Link ( an icon that takes you to a specific web site) on your desk top screen and then you can click on that and be taken right to Spirit View anytime you wish. That, of course, will not let you know exactly when the latest post is on line but it does bring you to the SpiritView home page with one click.
A great post to remind us to be alert. Thank you Evan.
In a recent Spiritview I mentioned a book title I’d seen, “Don’t Believe Everything You Think’ and while it wasn’t a CS offering, I did find it interesting and felt it was just another way to follow Mrs. Eddy’s direction to ‘Stand porter at the door of thought’–just as Evan reminds us today.
A wonderful post, Evan and such beautiful ideas from contributors. A wonderful start to the morning.
Such a wonderful message! Thank you, Evan.
I really like this. This something to deal with.
Interesting this morning I was listening to the song at the end of the elesson. The thought came “I wish I could understand her words”
I didn’t have my hearing aids in. Then immediately I turned that around and said divine Mind can hear. Suddenly the words were clear. Grateful, grateful, grateful.♥️
How lovely, Jane b. You were Truly listening through Mind’s direction.
Thank you for sharing that with us.
Thank you all so much. I read the article, too, and was thinking more about how to discern Truth, Good. Though God’s words to us do always express God’s goodness, sometimes they aren’t pleasant to hear. How many times did Jesus speak to people, sharing God’s Truth even though it may have challenged them?
We may hear words we don’t want to hear, but they may also be good and true. To be receptive to those messages is particularly important if we are to practice discipleship. Yielding to God’s word is always good, but it isn’t always easy.
Thank you for this excellent message, Evan. We need to remember to be focused on God, listening for Divine direction, and not listen to the “peanut gallery”.