My wife shared an interesting observation with me yesterday.
She had been listening to a piece on the radio about how to manage debt. People were talking about the misery debt had brought into their lives, how they were burdened by it and overwhelmed with payments they could not afford. As my wife listened, the thrust of the discussion, which was how to work with debt, felt a bit off. Why were the reporters focusing on managing debt rather than on ways to pay it off? She pondered.
She came into my office to think out loud with me on the subject, and added in, “It’s like managing disease. Sufferers talk about Disease Management, when the real need is to demonstrate health. We don’t want to manage disease. We want to get rid of it. Find health, and disease disappears. Doesn’t the same rule apply to debt?”
“Yes,” I chimed in! “Find supply, and debt disappears. Too much time is spent on managing a problem, and perhaps not enough time and energy spent on remedying the problem,” I agreed.
It’s not debt management that is going to save the economy, but supply manifestation. The underlying problem is not how to manage debt, but how to demonstrate supply and stay out of debt.
Christian Science teaches that we are not mortal beings subject to material impoverishment. We are spiritual beings endowed with the eternal riches of Truth and Love that support and sustain us at all times. The riches of divine Mind are wisdom, intelligence, insight, creativity, originality, contentment, joy, gratitude and their kin. These riches, when lived and expressed, keep us out of debt to a material world.
For decades, consumers and investors have been looking to things, possessions, and stuff for happiness and joy. I’m guilty too! There was a joy-ride for quite a while, but it was inevitable the bottom would fall out from under the proverbial Babylonian pyramid of a matter-based goal, for true happiness and success can never be found in material acquisition. The piling up of debt in the belief that buying more and having more worldly possessions would bring greater joy was a vain pursuit.
But the good news is, it doesn’t matter. We are still God’s rich and wealthy spiritual offspring, no matter what kind of financial experience we’re going through. We have the eternal riches of Mind at our disposal at this moment to demonstrate wealth and supply.
The picture of impoverishment or lack is illusion. One is tempted to believe in lack ONLY if they believe supply is material. Any matter-based reasoning is going to lead to lack, because matter-based reasoning is one big arena of lack. The exit door from lack is understanding supply to be spiritual. And we all have access to this understanding. Jesus taught it. Christian Science explains it.
Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Jesus Christ
Paul and John had a clear apprehension that, as mortal man achieves no worldly honors except by sacrifice, so he must gain heavenly riches by forsaking all worldliness. Then he will have nothing in common with the worldling’s affections, motives, and aims. Mary Baker Eddy
We don’t have to manage debt. We can pay it off. The infinite riches of Mind provide the metaphysical resources necessary to live debt-free, and these riches are freely available to every one of us today! No need to wait for a stock market recovery… Alleluia!!
Kathy is right, we should not by in to the idea that debt problems are unsolvable. How do we really get an understanding of God’s infinite abundance. How do we trust the impartation of that? I like the ideas in MBEddy’s article on Angels in her other writings. “God gives you His spiritual ideas, and in turn, they give you daily supplies.” these ideas translate into our daily supply, but what about debt. I really like the quote, “Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need.” What does this mean… “always has met”. If we increase our understanding of God’s present abundant supply now, is this retroactive? Can we correct the past? Do we deserve God’s abundance? It’s clear that the almost inconceivable abundance of supply imparted by God can overwhelm lack.
I take the “Divine Love always has met…” literally. We don’t always see how Love has met our need because we’re looking elsewhere for the aid. But the need has always been met.
And if in a current belief of lack, I take it literally too. Just because I can’t see the supply at the moment, doesn’t mean it isn’t present. It is. Spiritualization of thought clears the mental view of fear, doubt, selfishness, or whatever is getting in the way, and enables us to see it. It may require great humility for the view to get clear, but whatever the price, it’s worth it. The blessings of Love are in place before we even make a request for them.
I was thinking about the graduates starting their professional lives with tens of thousands of debt in student loans, retired seniors with dwindling resources and few options for emplyment, as well as families with mortgage on the brink of foreclosure. What is the key spiritual principle, and with what authority can this be done? Can we pray for others in this situation?
Found a couple of interesting quotes in a 1905 CS Journal, “… it is not because the supply is lacking, but that we ask amiss.” “In Christian Science we are taught that God supplies our every need, but not our selfish wants.” “The desire for material things always leads thought away from God, whereas an intelligent recognition of our need always leads us back to our true supply in Mind.”
Interesting idea to ponder … want versus need … which leads to debt and which leads to being a ‘joint-heir with Christ’, a divine heritage of abundant good?