Sighs and groans are the language of faultfinders.
~ James Lendall Basford
Rather than focusing on faults and finding reasons to “sigh and groan,” look for something positive happening. Look for reasons to rejoice!
Silencing sighs and groans
August 29, 2023 | 18 comments
“Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.” Jesus went on to say that one who did not obey his teachings was building on sand. When the floods and winds struck such a house, he said, “It fell: and great was the fall of it.”
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/nqnfjjramg?s=copylink
God gives us nothing for us tgo groan over – He is infinite goodness and Love.. He says in
Isaiah 65:18:
“But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.”.
– and Mary Baker Eddy tells us that:
“Our false views of life hide eternal harmony, and produce the ills of which we complain.”
(S&H 62:29–30)
So, as Evan advises, we must look for reasons to rejoice when we are tempted to moan
about anything. We can know that what seems to be not good is just false view of life,
and cannot hide eternal harmony.
Opened the hymn book this morning ..dealing with ‘sighs and groans ‘.
Hymn 190 inspired me;
My God, my Father, make me strong,
When tasks of life seem hard and long,
To greet them with this triumph song,
Thy will be done.
With confident and humble mind,
My joy in service I would find,
My prayer through every task assigned,
Thy will be done.
Things deemed impossible I dare,
Thine is the call and Thine the care,
Thy wisdom shall the way prepare;
Thy will be done.
Heaven’s music chimes the glad days in,
Hope soars beyond death, pain and sin,
Faith sings in triumph, Love doth win;
Thy will is done.
What timely inspiration ..thank you Evan❣️
Thank you so much Barbara for posting this beautiful hymn. I just began a new job, and I am finding it much more physically demanding than I expected it to be!! At the start of my lunch break, I opened today’s Spirit View for strength and inspiration, and your hymn provides me just what I need at this moment.
And thank you Evan for this wonderful loving community where all can find exactly what they need at exactly the right time!
I have 3 more hours of work, and I am armed with the right ideas to bring me through in “a spirit of joy.” Thanks again.
Dear Liza Z…I’m so glad this hymn met your need today. ..I needed it too ,. It isn’t one I ‘m particularly familiar with but just quietly asked for Gods help for some extra inspiration. Another incidence of Divine Mind knowing what we need ( and have ) right now.
Sending Love and harmony to you in your new job.x
Thank you
Thank you Evan. Thank you Maggie for the article.. There is nothing God cannot do if we build on the right foundation. We read in Science and Health 138:14-15. The supremacy of Spirit was the foundation on which Jesus built.
One can always ask the question, what will Jesus do?, instead of sighing and groaning. In this way we would be led to peaceful solutions and maintain smiling faces..
Thank you all so very much for such uplifting inspiration. I must admit, I often
find myself sighing over high food and gas prices, lies, corruption and so many
things that do not seem right these days. This nudge of Truth’s declaration is
much appreciated.
The article F shared with us .. Thank you, F, is so helpful as I am currently
working on a project on my own foundation, filling in a crack and sealing
up where I think rain may be seeping in. (I really have no idea what I am
doing, but) … with God’s guidance and help…I trust that by making this area
more secure, my foundation, like the foundation of God/Principle will be
shored up for the next storm.
Also, as I look around today, with the sun/God’s rays shining, I see little
rainbows gracing and enhancing, wherever the prism in the sunlight deems
them to be. So refreshing in thought! Good day to everyone
Dear Carol,
You say you do not know what you are doing – I know the feeling! – but I know, and you know, that you are reflecting God, and He is doing the work – and you are, as you say, under God’s guidance, and He is filling the cracks with divine Love’s substance, so that it can never give way to any material threats that would try to work its way through. God’s work is finished and complete and is already sealed, so you are blessed in every way – Divine Love will always meet all your human needs.
I love the picture at the top of the man laughing away – it always makes me laugh to see someone else laughing. There was a picture in a Sentinel many years ago of three pretty little Chinese toddlers sitting together at a piano, and pretending they were making music. They were all in fits of laughter. I have kept that picture, and it always delights me when I look at it, and lifts my spirits. Laughter is a good healer and turns around our thoughts to look for more light-hearted things that make us feel good. xx
Oh, Maggie … your response is so helpful! Thank you! It is wonderful to
Know that we, you and I and everyone here and everyone, everywhere,
are not the ones “doing”, but it is the strength and power of God, that
gives us all the intelligence we need…The One Mind that is always present
and Knows all ~ Who guards, guides and cares for us with such Love.
I am humbled by the articles I read here, as my “little mind” seems so
thirsty for these Truths and deep down, I Know it is all true and the
One Mind is Really all there is, so reflecting this comprehension is natural
and innate to our true being… although sometimes the metaphysics seem
a bit difficult to grasp. I feel like one of those toddlers you mentioned. LOL
I love what you wrote about laughter also. Laughter Is contagious! : D : )
Mrs. Eddy writes in Mis Writings, 376:30+ “What are we, that He who fashions
forever such forms and hues of heaven, should move our brush or pen
to paint frail fairness or to weave a web of words that glow with gladdening
gleams of God, so unapproachable, and yet so near and full of radiant relief
in clouds and darkness!” God’s “gleams” , so dear to us, Are with us always
and in all ways.
Short and sweet Evan, thank you!
And relevant…
Will not groan about weather and instead rejoice in the moisture caring for the beautiful hardwood trees surrounding me.
Again a perfectly timed and worded blog just as I needed it. I was wasting too much time and energy, moaning and sighing over a letter someone sent me that was full of their worse than sighing and moaning over their mistaken imagination, and their false accusations of me and character assassinations. I had wasted too much time, trying to find the right way to respond to their letter that would not escalate my mental sighing and moaning or their reaction escalating their sighing and moaning and gossiping.
I think it’s time to spend less thought thinking about that particular content of their letter, or a the content of my potential responding letter. And instead, praying with the absolute and universal Truth, and its global healing influence even of our human dream. And listening or reading for more and better ideas about communication/testimonies that we pray for for church and could be applied to any communication with anyone on any topic.
Thank you, everyone.
“Prayer that calms complaint” by Barbara Fife:
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/layout/set/print/issues/2010/5/112-19/prayer-that-calms-complaint
Thanks Evan and all for beautiful thoughts to start my day. This message is timely as I notice I’ve been complaining with my co-workers about changing policies and attitudes of management. It feels like a bonding activity among us and a way to blow off steam, but I see that it becomes harmful. I don’t want to contribute to a negative atmosphere of complaint. I want to remember that I live in “the atmosphere of Love divine.” I have to admit that sometimes I don’t just join in with the complaints but am actually the one that brings it up! Time for a big shift.
Hymn 249 says:
Our gratitude is riches
Complaint is poverty
Our trial bloom in blessings
They test our constancy
O, life from joy is minted
An everlasting gold
True gladness is the treasure
That grateful hearts will hold
Evan says, “Look for something positive happening, look for reasons to rejoice.” That can be my task going forward. Mortal mind will tell me it’s hard and I can’t change my outlook. Maybe I can’t, but God can. If I line up my thought with God/ divine Mind, I believe it can actually be the easiest, most natural way to view life.
Thank you dearly, Maggie and Carol. Your comments are very loving and heartwarming!!♡
Thank you very much indeed, dear Evan! I am cheering up when I see somebody laugh like this in today’s lovely foto!
I like to laugh! It is indeed a very healing aspect!
I love every SpiritView and all the inspired, helpful comments and all friends here!!♡
Thanks Evan for reminding us to remain away from fault finding. When I joined this beautiful path of Christian Science, I used to find faults & complaining about others. I came across these lines ifrom Hymn no 249 n an article
Our gratitude is riches,
Complaint is poverty.
Now whenever I am tempted to complain, I am reminded of these lines & try to correct myself. Thanks Evan
Thank you Evan, Carol, Maggie, and J, for the great thoughts, and Radio program reference. I feel so blessed and uplifted just what I needed.
Hugs Renis