It’s a critical question to answer, “What do you expect out of life?” because most people spend the bulk of their time living out those expectations.
When I was a farmer, I expected to grow robust crops that produced prodigious yields so we could make lots of money and grow more crops the next year so we could make even more money, and then grow even more crops the year after that so we could make even more money… And I suppose you can see where I’m going with this… People throw their time and energy into realizing their expectations.
So, if you want to live a super productive life and look back on your accomplishments later on with genuine satisfaction, and joy that you pursued worthy goals, it’s healthy to get those expectations formed aright at an early stage!
We harvest the crops we plant.
So, what are your expectations for life? Are they temporal, susceptible to loss and theft? Or are they eternal, producing the kind of benefits that stay with you forever and continue to grow and grow and grow in value and worth like an excellent investment made for the long term?
Jesus had a clear sense that the most worthy goals to pursue involved seeking the things of the Spirit—the love, joy, peace and health that come from seeking the kingdom of heaven now, and not waiting until after death to learn that death doesn’t bump one into heaven. Increased spiritual understanding and faithfulness to Christ is the route to eternal life!
In answering my own question, I hope to grow in love each day, learning how to love more unselfishly, how to be more patient, more understanding, more compassionate, more forgiving and generous without fear of loss, and to get so close to God in my thought that I never feel separated.
I expect to pay the bills that keep my family going, too, but I’ve learned from experience that when you keep your spiritual priorities right and demonstrate an ever-increasing love and devotion to God in everything you do, the human side of things flourishes.
What are your umbrella expectations for tomorrow?
I was just reading this article called “True Desire” when the email notification for your post came in. I think it relates perfectly. Here’s the link from jsh-online.com:
http://sentinel.christianscience.com/issues/1954/5/56-19/true-desire
I’m grateful for the farmers who grow crops year after year to feed us! I don’t think your only motive as a farmer was to make more money every year, but to feed your fellow man.It is natural for man to excel, isn’t it, no matter what field he plows in life….I have no doubt you were an ethical, productive, unselfish farmer whose crops were superlative! You just changed from gathering crops to gathering souls to the truth!
I am very happy to report, that I wanted to do something in Photography, not for money but to accomplish a talent that I had. I was able to accomplish it by being a man Friday to my boss. I was working for an organization that did top secret work for the Government. I also was a TV camera man for NBC TV. God was very good to me in those days for I had Cerebral Palsy and employees were fickle in hireing handicap people. Now since I am a C/S student, God has helped me in another phase of writing for “Spirit View and the Daily Lifts.” I am truly thankful to God for helping me in full filing these desires.
How important to have our expectation be for perfection to manifest itself…look at the cripple at the gate of the temple Beautiful…expecting a handout and receiving so much more. That’s why the psalmist said “My soul,{spiritual sense} wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.” Brackets mine. Psalms 62:5
Evan, Thank you. THis is really interesting. Would you mind pointing me into the right direction about eternal life? and life after death….your post implies that some live eternally and others dont. It also alludes to life after death and what that is like.
I attempted to pursue being a full time practitioner and I had trouble making a living even though many people experienced rapid healing that I worked with. I also wanted to get your thoughts on how to ensure that I don’t CATCH the beliefs of my patients I am trying to treat….I found the work to be very rewarding but also very invasive at times….connecting to others consciousnesses…what am i doing wrong?
To above,
Oh, there is only one Life to live, God’s! And it is eternal. We all have it to live, but it will never be found in matter. Christ came to deliver us from the belief of life in matter to discover Life in Spirit, and as we humbly follow we leave material beliefs behind that limit a sense of life, and walk toward the unlimited eternal spiritual life that we all possess in God. And you find it by walking in the footsteps of Christ.
You don’t catch the beliefs of your patients by not believing them! And if you’re doing your job as practitioner, you’ll never believe them. A practitioner’s job is to know the spiritual truth that heals the patient of their false belief. If you believe what they believe, you’re in the “same boat,” so to speak, and can’t help them. But if you do your job as practitioner and stay in a spiritual consciousness of Truth, you can extend your metaphysical hand to them and lift them up to a higher place in thought. Healing happens. You connect to the divine Mind, not the human mind, in the healing work. God, divine Mind, is always the healer.