Series 2 - Lesson 9 - Annotation 12
How may anxious thoughts be overcome?
12. Anxious thoughts may be overcome by keeping the mind stayed on God and His Truth; by imaging the right kind of thought pictures with the faculty of imagination.
Anxious thoughts, in fact, worries of all kinds, are caused by our permitting pictures of error to impress themselves on the imagination. We know that we have been given dominion over our thoughts and feelings, but we have failed to exercise this dominion. Many times we allow our imagination to run riot, and it brings to us many fearful things which were at first only pictures in the mind (consciousness) and need not have manifested in body or affairs. Our work in Truth is to cast out by denial the false beliefs that caused the error pictures before they become established in the subconscious phase of mind as a working pattern. Once established, a more rigorous program of denials and affirmations may be necessary.
We overcome anxious thoughts and their results by having faith in God, the good omnipotent, and knowing that that good is the only Presence and the only Power in our life. When we sense something considered unpleasant, we need to declare the Truth and see the good back of the situation or circumstance. We draw right conclusions about the trouble by using wisdom and good judgment in our thinking, speaking, and acting. We use our imagination constructively and sustain only positive reactions in our thoughts and feelings. We face the negative condition or situation with Truth. We do not deny the fact of its existence, but we do deny its reality. Through prayer we seek God's guidance in handling it. We no longer see it as something too difficult for us to solve but as an opportunity to call forth our spiritual resources.
It matters not if the problem is one of ill-health (in ourselves or others), lack in finances, inharmony in human relations, or failure in some undertaking. Through prayer we impress the imagination with health, plenty, harmony, success, and the outer condition changes in an orderly way. The Psalmist sings, "My soul, wait thou in silence for God only; For my expectation is from him" (Psalms 62:5). Jesus Christ lovingly admonishes us, "Be not therefore anxious" (Matt. 6:31).
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Preceding Entry: Explain the importance of the imagination in the forming of character.
Following Entry: What explanation is there for the appearances of ghosts?
