Ever had a hard time seeing something good in a neighbor?
I had an article published in my local newspaper, the Tri-City Herald, July 30th, that tells how to see past the negative to what God sees.
Here’s the link, “There are parallels between a clear riverbed and clear thoughts about others.”
Thank you Evan, so timely for me as I am praying to forgive a relative for harms I believed she had done to me over a long period, beginning when I was a quite young. For decades I’ve seen her in a limited and negative way. Many times I tried to forgive because I knew it was spiritually right but it was never a complete healing. I think I was trying to forgive humanly, but I humbly need God’s help.
Although I rarely see this person nowadays, I’ve begun to realize that those past perceived hurts are still having an impact on me. I have a desire to see her in her true beautiful innocent God nature, without the muddyness of surface material sense getting in the way, as described in the article. Looking forward to progress, with God’s help, so I can bless her and have compassion and love, and see the past events in a more spiritual light. That will be healing for both of us,
Rose, thank you for being so transparent concerning your struggle to forgive. I have also been craving that true forgiveness that allows me to see only good in those who it appears have hurt me. On the flip side, there have been times when I was that one who needed to be forgiven. I pray for those who I have hurt to absolutely forgive me and see my innate goodness, knowing that their forgiveness will free us both. When I see the ” perps” as I am seen by my “victims”, it produces a different perspective. I long to forgive as deeply as I long to be forgiven.
To Evan: It’s amazing that this type of article was printed in a local newspaper. Thanks for sharing. (I almost wrote Thanks for daring.) I do believe I will have a clear stream day.
Dear Rose and Love, Thank you both for your input and
thoughts on healing. I, too, have had great pangs of hurt
and resentment (“humanly” justified and this person’s own
family did not forgive and couldn’t understand how I could.)
There was a time when I also had great difficulty seeing this
person as a child of God, but during those times, knew for my
own spiritual progress, I Had to. It was going beyond the
“error” of these hurts and trying to take the personal aspect
out of things that had been done. Thus eliminating the feelings
of resentment which tried to ruin my own happiness. Letting this
person move on without any thoughts or feelings , has helped
me realize from where our True contentment comes from …
within.. Within our God-given perfection that everyone has,
if they manifest it or not. I think we all eventually have to come
to the conclusion of being One with God and each of us has to
realize this for ourselves.
The neighbor I mentioned below also, it Seemed, tried every
trick in the book to get me to react and get me angry, at things
it seemed they deliberately did. Seeing it that way, made it
even more challenging to see them in God’s image and likeness;
but actually they helped me understand and made my thoughts
stronger that I Do have God’s Love and protection, even at times
when I have felt quite vulnerable.
Couldn’t read because you would have to subscribe.
I couldn’t read the whole thing. It faded out half way through.
CAN’T READ BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO SUBSCRIBE
Cindy, Linda and Nancy, you can listen to the article. Press the triangle button and the article will be read to you.♡
https://news.yahoo.com/faith-parallels-between-clear-riverbed-120000467.html
Thank you for posting that link, Harmony.
Thanks for that link Harmony, it works! . As many of you I couldn’t see the whole article using Evan’s link but I was able to click the audio version at the top of the article and hear it read aloud. I thought it would be Evan’s voice but it was a computerized sounding voice, lol, but still was grateful to hear the words.
Anyway so good that we communicate and work it out together and nothing can interfere with our ability to receive the spiritual Truths that Evan put forth for us today. Thanks all!
Thanks for sharing that link. I did not have a problem with the link Evan provided, but obviously others did. Nice of you to go the extra mile.
Thanks for the link! I was able to read the full article.
Thanks for the link! I was able to read the full article.
The link had a “read more” button just after it faded out and the rest of the article appeared. Keep scrolling through the ads in between. Thank you Evan. So helpful to read your thought process on how you focused on seeing open-mindedness instead of stubbornness. Much appreciated
Sometimes I kid myself that anything from what I call the sea of mental garbage might have a right to stay for a while. Such as anger or disgust toward outrageous behavior by others whether neighbors or elected people in government. I try to have it both ways. But healing of my circumstance or the world cannot allow this; it just doesn’t work. Recognizing yet again that only the truth of all creation is the only real thing happening and we see everything is already all right and it appears to us in its form untouched. For a moment it seems I can hold that in thought
Wonderful article, Evan! Thank you so much!
Exactly the thought that I have been working with recently. i
have realized that herein are the ideas that will speed my progress
at this time! SO GRATEFUL! <3
Thank you Evan. Thank you for the article too. Thank you all. Seeing man right is the beauty of holiness in my own experience.
Can’t read this article as you have to subscribe.
You can listen to the article when you press the triangle ♡
Thank you Evan and thank you Harmony for the link. Beautiful article!
You can click on the “ have a minute?” Audio and listen to it read by a machine.
Thank you Evan, and thank you Harmony. This was a valuable message I could use straight away
“A view of others that heals” by Margaret Wylie:
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/1q2bacyoqpe
Looking upon our fellow mankind as God see us, is just the right thing to do.
I love your article, Evan and the photos are spectacular! Thank you!
Before I moved here I had horrific neighbors move in that disrupted
the entire very quiet neighborhood. They had 3 dirt bikes, 3 four
wheelers, guns, etc. etc., a snowmobile, so even snow-loveliness was
screaming with noise and fumes, at all hours, all within an acre and
very close to my home. When they first moved in and I (timidly, but
firmly) approached them that it was a quiet neighborhood and we all
respected each other, the father, with hands on his hips yelled,
“Well the neighborhood will just have to get used to it!!!”
It was a very challenging time in my life, having experiencing many other
challenges also, at the same time. I kept Knowing that they were children
of God (~ after all, the father had yelled his sons “can do no wrong!”), when I
many times asked them nicely not to throw rocks, hit baseballs, paintballs,
even real bullets, etc… in to my yard.
Harmony was something I Really prayed about diligently, Knowing that God’s
strength and Love was always with me. Long story, short, they moved out right
before I decided to, proving to me that our prayers Were/Are effective and
when seen in the light of Love, if this could be resolved, anything can be. The
other neighbors were elderly and intimidated by them and not as effected by
them, but One with God Is a majority in what is right and what is True.
Thank you very much indeed, dear Carol for your healing experience! It was really God’s perfect doing, so wonderful!♡
Thank you very very much for your article, Evan; it’s very helpful and needed. Several times I pray that I may see my neighbors as God made and sees them, namely kind and loving etc. God knows our desires and gives us what we need! Am grateful to learn still more in CS.
I was able to read the whole thing also from the link and I don’t subscribe to that paper. After “read more” just keep scrolling. It’s all there. Great article.
“See Evil as Impersonal” by DeWitt John:
https://journal.christianscience.com/shared/view/2eqvul3wxxk
Thank you Evan for writing and sharing your wonderful and helpful article!
I’ve heard it described that our so-called mortal experience is a “dream within a dream”. If God made everything that was made and we are made in His/Her image and likeness, then we can’t be part of a dream and our only reality is in Spirit. The “dream” tells us that we can feel offended, irritated, resentful, manipulated, hurt, etc. by family members, neighbors, employees, others …. but that is a distraction by the carnal/mortal mind and it dupes us. In spiritual reality we all live and move and have our being as God’s children in the Kingdom of Heaven. In the KOH, there is no mortal past or present – just the nowness of ever present good and spiritual reality. I would venture to say that most of us probably deal with issues like this every day, and it’s so comforting to know that we don’t have to be fooled and can pray from a higher standpoint.
I cannot thank you enough for recommending that excellent article! So insightful and complete and honest!
Many, many thanks.
Thank you, Evan. How nice that you write articles for your local newspaper. Your community is blessed by it, I’m sure!
Dear Evan, as I couldn’t yet come to sleep as some thoughts to be corrected held me awake, I decided to read your article more thoroughly. Till now I just listened to the computer voice which read it very quick.
You wrote your article very beautifully, and I am very very grateful to read how you prayed for a loving solution of a seeming problem with a co-worker. Through your prayer you saw her clearly as God’s loving child! Thank you very much indeed for your wonderful testimony!♡
I need the spiritual ideas in this testimony very much!
Will pray for a peaceful nightrest and sleep under God’s wings, as Andrew Brewis sings in one of his beautiful spiritual songs.♡
I am also very thankful for all the today’s wonderful comments!
Your thoughts are lovely dear Uta. I love how you described sleeping “under God’s
wings” … like sheltering angel wings that comfort and bring peace. A beautiful concept!
I had held to thoughts like in this little prayer when I was dealing with my neighbor issue:
Mrs. Eddy’s Prayer
(Printed in the Christian Science Journal of 1883)
“Beloved Father-Mother … God give
me the wisdom to meet the problems that come up
to be met today. Give me the understanding to deny
error. Give me the grace to remain silent when it is
not necessary to speak. Oh, love, take me in, give me
one mind, one consiousness and enable me to love
my neighbor as myself. When I cease to judge, criticize
or condemn, I begin to make progress.” -Mary Baker Eddy
I certainly had a lot of times to try to put this into practice,
as they lived next door for quite a few years. It was not
easy, but I never gave up and I still hold to seeing them as
God’s children, as we all are.