Do you ever feel unsupported, unacknowledged, under-appreciated or alone in your efforts to help others? Mortal life can feel that way sometimes. But take heart. There’s a spiritual angle to consider that can deliver you from despair.
God is cheering you on! Keep up the good work. God is behind you all the way. People may fail you, but God will never fail to support you.
Others may not see the good you’re doing. Others may not be aware of the selfless work you’ve done to aid those in need. But God knows all about it. God is happy with you and the good acts and deeds you commit and wants you to keep it up.
Jesus frequently faced ingratitude and lack of interest for what he had to offer. But he didn’t let the apathy and indifference get him down, at least not for long. He kept up his good works, knowing that salvation comes from living a life filled with love and unselfish giving.
When Jesus got discouraged and disheartened, for instance, in the garden of Gethsemane, God was there to pull him back up again. The human desertion Jesus was about to face was all foretold, but God was there to bring him through it, and triumph for the ages! What a spectacular ending with the resurrection and ascension. Jesus had never been forsaken, not by God anyway.
So, chin up. You are not alone. Lean on God, not on others, for the moral and spiritual support you need to prosper your selfless activity.
When you’re engaged in good works you’re doing God’s work, and God will be with you ALL THE WAY, guaranteed.
Thanks,Evan. What an uplifting entry! I know it is true. Still, when you write about it the Truth is reinforced.
Yes, and without a doubt you are writing about a subject you know well–unselfish giving. Thanks for all you do. Even when it seems that you are alone, there are those bearing witness from afar with deep gratitude and affection.
This was certainly a timely blog. I am having to be a peacemaker in the family and sometimes feel that my prayers and actions fall by the wayside and are not appreciated. Now I can remember that God is cheering me on and I am loved and aappreciated.
The spark of your efficacious, selfless and long time giving on behalf of Christ’s healing message ignites thought far and wide, Evan. You just never know which idea, insight or expression will find proper lodgment somewhere, sometime. For instance see the 2012 Oct. Journal article, “In Ethiopia, A Journey of Spititual Discovery” (p 62), and ref to your Dec, 2005 Sentinal article.
God, mankind and all of us who read this blog greatly appreciate the value of what you do.
thank you! I’m a little confused about my ‘good works’! It is just a matter of keeping my thinking correct – bringing it continually back to God. Or is it being consumed with doing good physically – donating, volunteering, trying to fix things where I think I can??!! thanks!
To above,
It’s neither. It’s a delightful combination that is the effect of simply living a life of selfless love like Jesus did.
The truly generous heart doesn’t think about whether it should be doing something generous. It’s already doing it. The selfless giver is not wondering if they should being committing an act of selflessness to prove their love. They are already doing it. It’s not something you think about. It’s something you do. And I bet you’re good at that!
that’s an awesome response! But I think I need to learn more about to trully get it, it really sounds like something I need to get – to LET GO!!! many thanks,…
I have already gotten the message, though it was never always so. I had to learn it. But I feel that I would never learn it if it wasn’t for Mrs Eddy’s discovery of C/S. the human mortal tendency is always to downgrade. The human divine immortal tendency is always, not sometimes, to upgrade. When mortal personalities degrade me, I instinctively switch to my spiritual side which knows whe mortal mind speaks, nothing is being said.
tobias – when you ‘switch to your spiritual side’ and bring your thinking back to God – that was what I was referring to in my 1st post. But Evan said – neither was correct (that or doing good physical works). I’m still confused!……….
To above,
Oh, I don’t want to confuse anyone. Yes, bringing your thinking into line with God is the right thing to do. I was reading your comment a bit differently, but I believe you and I agree. The outward acts do come though as thinking is truly aligned with God. That’s more of what I was trying to say. We must “love God,” but true love for God is manifest in the form of “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” There needs to be outward evidence of love to confirm the inner love is felt.
Yes I think i get it now! Just keeping my thought aligned with God is my job & then the outward good acts just seem natural to do as a result. Thank you Evan!
This reminds me of the openning line in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: “To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, today is big with blessings”.
Not feeling appreciated in our work for others? This presents a golden opportunity! Error would have us personalize these feelings, making us feel unloved and under-appreciated. We don’t work for others for the applause or personal gratification but as employed by the Divine. As Evan pointed out God loves us and appreciates our efforts.
Maybe those we’re helping are not feeling the help or the love. Deep in their own physical discomfort, lack, emotional pain people often turn inward and can see nothing outside of their own problem. If we’re working (praying) for them and feel they are ungrateful for our efforts, reminding them to focus on gratitude can be the very thing that will bring about their healing. I’m not saying we should say “hey, I’m working hard here, how about a plate of cookies” but reminding them that turning their focus to the tiniest good they can admit in a hard moment is a step in the right direction. Building on this first step by seeing more and more to be grateful for, hour by hour, turns them from the darkness toward the light.
If we’re not feeling gratitude for our efforts, this is the time to look inwardly and see where we can correct our thought. Jesus didn’t see himself as surrounded by ingrates. He looked upon God’s ideas and saw the man of God’s making.
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Evan thank you again for this blog. This is my second time to read this because I love the reminder that God is cheering me on. Years and years ago I really didn’t know enough how to pray for mankind except for me and my son where I saw my prayers worked well. But now I have to learn to sincerely dig deeper beyond the words of my prayers and it is when I realized that I am not alone with God, we His children are united and are one with Him. As I pray the Daily Prayer I am feeling that God’s word is governing all and that everyone’s prayer for mankind touches me too. How cheering it is to understand that it is divine Love’s way of meeting every human need.