Lessons in Truth

...being at all dependent upon whether there is any real cause for fear, or if it is a purely imaginary cause. In the same way, strong thoughts of criticism will make the blood acidic, causing rheumatism The author is reflecting a common 19th-century "New Thought" belief that specific mental states cause specific physical ailments.. Carrying mental burdens creates more stooped shoulders than carrying heavy material loads does. Believing that God regards us as “miserable sinners,” and that he is continually watching us and our failures with disapproval, brings utter discouragement and a sort of half-paralyzed condition of mind and body, which results in failure in all our undertakings.

Is it difficult for you to understand why, if God lives in us all the time, he does not keep our thoughts right instead of permitting us, through ignorance, to drift into wrong thoughts and so bring trouble upon ourselves?

Well, we are not automatons original: "automatons"; meaning mechanical robots or puppets that lack free will.. Your child will never learn to walk alone if you always do his walking for him. Because you recognize that the only way for him to be strong and self-reliant in all things—in other words, to become a man—is to leave him to his own efforts, and let him come to a knowledge of things for himself through experience. You are not willing to make a mere puppet of him by taking the steps for him, even though you know he will fall down many

time and give himself severe bumps in the process of moving toward perfect physical manhood.

We are in the process of growth into the highest spiritual manhood and womanhood. We do experience many falls and bumps on the way, but only through these—not necessarily by them—can our growth proceed. No father and no mother, no matter how strong or deep their love, can grow for their children. Nor can God, who is omnipotence original: "omnipotence"; meaning all-powerful. at the center of our being, grow spiritually for us without making us into automatons instead of individuals.

If you keep your thoughts turned toward the external aspects of yourself or others, you will see only the things which are not real, but temporal original: "temporal"; meaning temporary, worldly, or relating to time rather than eternity., and which pass away. All the faults, failures, or lacks in people or circumstances will seem very real to you, and you will be unhappy, miserable, and sick.

If you turn your thoughts away from the external toward the spiritual, and let them dwell on the good in yourself and others, all the apparent evil will first drop out of your thoughts and then out of your life. Paul understood this when he wrote to the Philippians: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good re- The author is quoting Philippians 4:8, which concludes: "...good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."