Do you give yourself sufficient time to study and pray so that your days are filled with buoyancy, inspiration, and joy? If not, now is a good time to start.
I share how I made major changes in my schedule years back to allow for sufficient time in study and prayer to keep my thought inspired. The benefits gained were well worth the sacrifices made. As I mention, it’s all part of loving yourself as your neighbor.
This vlog was filmed in the Valley of Fire State Park, in Nevada, while hiking there in October of 2020.
Such a helpful reminder, and something I admittedly struggle with – running my own business almost the first thing I think of when I wake up is what business tasks do I need to complete today … but I’m trying to make some quiet time where I can to pray, read a bit more of the Lesson, etc. I’ve no doubt it will bring huge benefits to all aspects of my life, I just need to trust that I cannot *lose* anything by dedicating this time to God (eg. by not thinking what work tasks could I have done in that quiet time!!). Thanks Evan
So true Evan. Make that time from this moment if you don’t already.
This has been what has been missing from my daily schedule for decades. There has always been an excuse …albeit legitimate from my point of view at the time …and the consequence has been a lack of spiritual influence on my thinking.
Now I am realising all the benefits of prayerful study . I’m discovering that it brings ongoing richness into my life and is indeed pro active if a problem tries to hinder me.
Just as an aside. I have just watched one of my sons take off on a bike ride. I can see people running past my house most times of the day. Walking dogs , going to the gym..etc. No one turns a head at this kind of ‘me time’ so, why is there a problem to take time out every day to pray? Just an observation.
Blessings to all.❣️
Beautiful reminder Evan..staying connected to the most important relationship I have makes my other relations more fulfilling.
We have only ONE ultimate source of joy, comfort, fulfillment, care, meaning. An old friend, Ralph Wagers, use to say: “Don’t let the lesser over shadow the GREATER.
Thank you Evan for the wonderful reminder to pray to God daily – even before getting out of bed in the morning and before falling to sleep at night. We need this time to begin our day and end it with prayer and gratitude. I struggle with this too even though retired from the workforce, I still find that not praying daily as we are reminded in the Bible to “pray without ceasing” really does determine whether our day will be blessed or trodden upon with the cares of the world. It doesn’t take much to keep thought clear or sing a hymn, or a psalm or a phrase from the Bible or a favorite passage from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy in our thoughts as we move through our day. Thank you John for the quote from Mr. Wagers and to all who have shared their struggles too. Blessing to all.
Thank you Evan for this wonderful reminder- and for all of the helpful comments and for the community of like-minded friends.
When I was brand new to Christian Science- I asked a wise teacher, how do you pray in Christian Science? And she said to me, my dear… your life becomes a prayer. That to me sums up my heartfelt desire to grow more spiritually faithful and to continue striving to grow spiritward.
The early morning is when I have uninterrupted time to study-read-Journal- but I also try to “look up” all throughout the day as we do as Christian Scientists. I love the idea of being wed to spirit-conscious constant capacity to know God. Grateful for these daily posts.
Christi I love that: I want my “life to be a prayer.” Thank you for sharing that.
Thank you Evan for this essential reminder. Hopefully I won’t think of it as a sacrifice to spend special time connecting to God and focusing on spiritual ideas and writings each day. I would like to think of it as a privilege to let other seemingly important tasks take a back seat and let God be number ONE. This is the first commandment, to “have no other God’s before me.” Still lot’s of room for improvement, but continuing joyfully and with no self-recrimination. Joining with all of you to read and ponder SpiritView is part of my daily special time, and I’m grateful for it.
Thank you…when thinking of sacrifice I can go back to former teachings that seemed to me to be detrimental or necessary to gain grace. Making something a priority does not have to be a sacrifice.
Lovely message from Spirit View and important reminder from you for me. thanks again
From hymn 572:
“Seek ye first the kingdom of God
And His righteousness,
And all these things shall be added unto you.
Allelu, alleluia!”
Thank you all!
Another great post, thank you so much Evan.
Thank you also John for the quote from Mr Wagers, he was the teacher of my teacher when she became CSB, she quoted him often during her class, since then I read the numerous articles he wrote. Here’ s one of them. Thank you all for the sharing.
THE VALUE OF SPIRITUAL THINKING
https://journal.christianscience.com/shared/view/n50d3shtpm?s=e
Thank you, Evan, for this wonderful reminder to set aside time to be with God and know that we will be blessed in all that we do. Early in my study of Christian Science, I mentioned to a Practitioner that I was so BUSY! She replied to me that she didn’t know that God was OMI-BUSY but that He was OMIA-ACTIVE. At times, when I feel like rushing around trying to get things done, I remind myself to “Be still and know that I AM GOD.” Knowing that God is the only action going on enables me to stop rushing around and embrace His ever-present LOVE with confidence that all is unfolding according to His will – not mine! Many thanks to all SpiritView followers for sharing their loving thoughts.
Sorry, guess the word is “OMNI-ACTIVE” – not “OMI-ACTIVE!” Hope you got the message anyway.
This reminds me of when I was a child over 70 years ago coming out to the kitchen and seeing my dad sitting at the breakfast table with the books reading the lesson. before he went to work. this was his morning ritual. For many years I have to admit I didn’t get the lesson every day as he did while my children were growing up. Sometimes only a section or two of the lesson but took time for a few moments of praying or hymn singing here and there during the day or when a problem seemed to arise. Now in my golden years I’m at my computer reading this blog first thing and then study the lesson and periodicals on the computer for a while each day and get a lot more growth and inspiration throughout my day.. I am thinking that if I had allowed myself more time for praying and study, i would have grown more through the early years and taught more as an example to my three children. They never saw me or their Dad studying unless illness or a problem was raising it’s ugly head. We called for CS help a lot and we had many healings. It seemed daily human activities were more important then putting in the work ourselves. I finally had class instruction with a wonderful teacher when they were teens.
Still, I’m too busy’ to spend time studying was my mantra. We attended church and Sunday School and were active in our small town Christian Science Society. I now go to Mother Church on line. One of my children found his way back to Christian Science and is active. I give thanks every day that the other two and their children are blessed by God as his children.
Thank you Evan for the reminder of this important practice. I write this after finishing my bowl of cereal at the computer. 🙂
Thanks for this important message as today I had plans to get out to do errands before TMC service to be back in time to listen in and ponder it, but apparently stayed up a bit too late then found myself getting up early then going back to bed and oversleeping so now I either do errands later or miss Wednesday meeting! Instead of beating myself up I’m just trying to be grateful I can attend online to get inspiration to then go out with, or that I will do errands another day and just let my day unfold in a different direction in whatever way I’m shown. Thank you for this helpful vlog and each one’s loving and supportive contribution to it’s loving message.
Such a valuable tip. . . .Thank you. When I think back on how Christian Science came to my attention, thru a neighbor my husband happened to meet by chance, I feel compelled to seek out time for prayer and study as a thank you to God for leading us to this spiritual path. It’s easy to fill our days with busy tasks and such, but I believe you have pointed out a better way to live, with prayer and study at the top of each day’s list.
Truth is that which IS
The Sunday School teaching was always a warning that “around every corner lurked some error that was just waiting to confront us” …. so much so, that even as a ten-year-old the question would always come to me “…well, where was God then, when all this happened to me, and the onus is now on me to undo it?”
But I never needed to ask the teachers that question. Truth had just said “NO.”
Point taken! I HAVE been putting aside more prayer time lately and I think as a result, I’ve been getting strong messages together with indications in various ways that I should stop doing the job I was doing before Covid lockdowns (which stopped me from doing that job). I loved that work and it has been the best-paid job I have EVER had by far but now this post has suddenly appeared before me and it is like yet ANOTHER indication to move on. There is now a faint indication of my next direction. It seems impossible that I could be paid more than 10% of my former hourly rate, but I feel that God is giving me this message, so I’m going to take the leap of faith and know my path is set before me..as an open door!