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PAGE FOUR
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January 29,
1930
Only one thing now
Only one I feel simply carried along each hour, doing my part in
a thing now plan which is far beyond myself. This sense of cooperation
with God in little things is what so astonishes me, for I never have
felt it this way before. I need something, and turn round to find it
waiting for me. I must work, to be sure, but there is God working along
with me. To know this gives a sense of security and assurance for the
future which is also new to my life. I seem to have to make sure of only
one thing now, and every other thing "takes care of itself," or I prefer
to say what is more true, God takes care of all the rest. My part is to
live this hour in continuous inner conversation with God and in
perfect responsiveness to his will. To make this hour gloriously rich.
This seems to be all I need think about.
February 9,
1930
A lever to lift the world
I feel sure now that our thoughts flow around the world even when
we do not express them. So I mean to make a contribution with my
thoughts every hour. I am making a strenuous effort of will to
concentrate upon people, those in my presence and those out of sight in
order to send to them my thoughts of Christ. I propose to think as hard
of God as I can when in crowds, in the confidence that really dynamic
thought will influence many others.
Perhaps you have begun to suspect what tremendous dynamite lies
hidden in this idea. If the Christian people, the really
Christian people of the world began to comprehend the power of thought,
they could use it as a lever to lift the world! If people realize that
telepathy is a fact though as yet not reduced to law--that ought to be
the signal for a tremendous movement among Christian people to keep
their thoughts right, to make them helpful every hour from morning to
night. We may yet attempt to make the world over by the sheer force of
good thoughts!
March 1, 1930
Undiscovered continents of spiritual living
The sense of being led by an unseen hand which takes mine while
another hand reaches ahead and prepares the way, grows upon me daily. I
do not need to strain at all to find opportunity. It piles in upon me as
the waves roll over the beach, and yet there is time to do something
about each opportunity.
Perhaps a man who has been an ordained minister since 1914 ought to
be ashamed to confess that he never before felt the joy of complete
hourly, minute by minute--now what shall I call it?--more than
surrender. I had that before. More than listening to God. I tried that
before. I cannot find the word that will mean to you or to me what I am
now experiencing. It is a will act. I compel my mind to open straight
out toward God. I wait and listen with determined sensitiveness. I fix
my attention there, and sometimes it requires a long time early in the
morning to attain that mental state. I determine not to get out of bed
until that mind set, that concentration upon God, is settled. It also
requires determination to keep it there, for I feel as though the words
and thoughts of others near me were constantly exerting a drag backward
or sidewise. But for the most part recently I have not lost sight of
this purpose for long and have soon come back to it. After awhile,
perhaps, it will become a habit, and the sense of effort will grow less.
. . . . . .
But why do I constantly harp upon this inner experience? Because I
feel convinced that for me and for you who read there lie ahead
undiscovered continents of spiritual living compared with which we are
infants in arms.
. . . . . .
And I must witness that people outside are treating me differently.
Obstacles which I once would have regarded as insurmountable are melting
away like a mirage. People are becoming friendly who suspected or
neglected me. I feel, I feel like one who has had his violin out
of tune with the orchestra and at last is in harmony with the music of
the universe.
. . . . . .
As for me, I never lived, I was half dead, I was a rotting tree,
until I reached the place where I wholly, with utter honesty, resolved
and then re-resolved that I would find God's will, and I would
do that will though every fibre in me said no, and I would win
the battle in my thoughts. It was as though some deep artesian well had
been struck in my soul or souls and strength came forth. I do not claim
success even for a day yet, in my mind, not complete success all day but
some days are close to success, and every day is tingling with the joy
of a glorious discovery. That thing is eternal. That thing is
undefeatable. You and I shall soon blow away from our bodies. Money,
praise, poverty, opposition, these make no difference, for they will all
alike be forgotten in a thousand years, but this spirit which comes to a
mind set upon continuous surrender, this spirit is timeless life.
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