How I Used Truth - Lesson 7 - Annotation 2
Where does the belief in the "absence of good" exist?
2. The belief in the "absence of good" exists only in the human consciousness, in the mind of man. One of the denial statements given in the fourth lesson of Lessons in Truth is, "There is no absence of life, substance, or intelligence anywhere," and this is stated in the affirmative in Unity's fundamental statement, "There is but one Presence and one Power in the universe, God, the good omnipotent." If we accept these statements as true, we realize that there is no "absence of good" anywhere. Thus any belief that we hold in the "absence of good" is false, has no reality, because it is not based on the principle of Truth.
Inherent in God as Divine Mind are all the ideas of good that permeate and penetrate all so-called space. These ideas are the spiritual patterns for the visible universe. We are the only part of creation that has the power to conceive images by thought. If we are not acquainted with God and His ideas of good, then we do not use our formative power of thought in the right way. In such a case, our imagination conceives of our world as having an "absence of good" in some form. It is, however, our joy and privilege to make conscious contact with God through prayer in order to lay hold of the ideas of Divine Mind. Through prayer we gain the understanding that enables us to use these ideas wisely in order to produce the desired visible good.
"He that keepeth understanding shall find good" (Prov. 19:8).
Webster's dictionary defines the word absence as "an empty or unfilled place." Having established the proposition that God is the one Presence, we cannot conceive of any place in His universe where He is not present. We speak of God as not only omniscient and omnipotent but also as omnipresent. We may look at an outer condition, an outer appearance, and feel that it lacks some manifestation of good. Nevertheless, when we are aware of the omnipresence of God, who is All-Good, we see the condition, not as something of itself but as a reminder of the Truth that there is but one Presence and one Power waiting to manifest in that condition or situation.
If there is no understanding of the truth of the omnipresence of God, then the mind viewing a condition that appears to be lacking some desirable good accepts a belief in the "absence of good." Where there is an appearance of sickness, such a mind feels that there is an "absence of health." Because God is life, then life too must be omnipresent (even in an appearance of illness). This is why we can pray for healing. Even the condition of illness cannot be termed an absence of life or health." Very often the evidences of life in one who is ill are very noticeable. It is because the law of expression of life has been disobeyed, either consciously or unconsciously, that the body rebels against some thought of the mind that has acted to produce inharmony, or dis-ease, in the body. Through what we term "sickness" the body endeavors to compensate for the introduction of something foreign, in mind or in the body itself. Illness is the body seeking to eradicate the unpleasant condition.
Having accepted the Truth that God is the Creator and Source of all, there can be in reality "no absence of abundance." It is a fact that there are manifestations of lack throughout the world. Such manifestations of lack have been brought about by beliefs in the "absence of good," which in turn keep us from doing those things that would reverse the picture. Many factors go to make up the error beliefs that men have carried down through the ages and only spiritual education can change the belief in the "absence of good."
Though there may be a misunderstanding between two or more persons, producing a belief in the "absence of harmony," there is in reality no lack of God's love, peace, harmony, consideration, or understanding. To transform the situation, those involved need to hold to Truth and call upon its action in their own lives.
War is not an absence of peace, for God, as peace, is not absent from any country, any nation, any individual. The ingredients required to produce outer peace have to be recognized and accepted in the consciousness of man. No matter how much we may long for it, there can be no outer peace until there is individual peace within. This is only possible as we acknowledge God to be the Source from which not only peace, but all good proceeds. When we seek God in prayer we are guided by wisdom, love, understanding to think, feel, speak, act according to the laws of God. The process is much like that of the homemaker who bakes a cake. She must first gather the ingredients, and through understanding of the recipe combine them correctly before the finished product can come from the oven.
God's good will flow into and through any channel that is prepared for it.
"Yes, God will accept any channel that is open to Him. Make yourself an open channel. . . . Say to yourself: 'I am an open channel through which the healing, prosing, life-giving forces of God are now freely flowing. God is my life, God is my health, God is my supply. God is my trust'" (Soul Power 104-105).
The wrong application of a principle of mathematics may produce an "absence" of the right answer. The mathematician, however, knows that there is in reality no absence, and that through his correct application of the principle he may bring forth the right answer.
"For if God is Spirit, the principle of intelligence and life, everywhere present at all times, He must be Just as accessible as a principle of mathematics" (Talks on Truth 11).
No matter what faces us as we walk the journey of life, we need to build into consciousness the truth that there is no "absence of good" anywhere, for God is omnipresent good. We need to know that whenever there appears to human sense to be an "absence of good," such an appearance exists only because of a belief in lack in the human mind. This wrong concept can be changed by turning to God in prayer, so that He may reveal Himself to us as the Presence and Power that fills all the universe.
"God is everywhere evenly present.
"There is no place, no situation, no problem, no condition where God is not. He is within you and around you. You are filled with and encircled with God, the good. God is omnipresent. . . .
"Is a condition of ill-health facing you? God is everywhere, and you can know that He is in the midst of this condition as health, life, and wholeness. Is a condition of lack or want facing you? You can know that regardless of appearances the truth is that God is always actively present as abundance, prosperity, and supply, for He is everywhere at all times" (Practical Christianity for You 23-24).
________________________
Preceding Entry: What is "negation" as used in this lesson?
Following Entry: Explain the meaning of the words temporal and eternal.
