You Are Not Alone
Unity Village, Missouri 64066
"I Go to Meet My Good"
When we have unpleasant situations to meet we sometimes feel afraid to meet them. This may have been the case when you found that you were going to a hospital.
But you can choose to meet what you have to meet with the thought "I go to meet my good."
Enter the hospital with the thought that you are going to meet your good. Know that you are going to be helped. Go with a courageous heart. Go knowing that God is going with you. Every person, every department of the hospital is working for your good, interested in your good. Go with an expectant heart. You are going to gain new health, new vitality, new strength, new joy. You are going to be renewed.
You are going to meet your good.
You Are Not Alone
JAMES DILLET FREEMAN
MOST OF US have friends or relatives who are very close and very dear to us. Yet there are times when we feel all alone. We have things to meet and we feel we have to meet them alone. But we do not have to meet anything alone. God is with us.
God is with you. You do not have to face your problems alone. You do not have to make your overcomings alone. There is One with you always who will help you in everything you have to meet.
This does not mean that you do not have to make any effort yourself. You have to make all the effort of which you are capable. But you do not have to depend on your own resources alone. You have access to God. If we felt that we had only human resources to depend on, we might feel discouraged indeed, for often when we have a struggle to make we do not seem to have much to struggle with. The qualities of heart and mind and body that we need do not seem to be there. But if we hold on, if we do not lose heart but persist in effort and prayer, we shall find that we have qualities we never guessed we had, God's qualities.
You may feel however that you have no awareness that God is with you. If that is so, you can develop it. How can you develop it? You can develop it through prayer. It may come immediately. It may come slowly. But if you consciously and persistently seek the presence of God, you will find that presence.
This seeking does not have to be laborious. Regular periods of prayer are helpful if you have the time and the desire for them; but best of all, throughout the day remind yourself that God is with you. Especially the first thing on waking and the last thing before falling asleep, remind yourself that God is with you. Whenever something comes up, whenever you feel that you need strength or freedom or wisdom or peace, remind yourself that God is with you, helping you.
In this way you will come to know that truly God is with you. You will come to feel His loving, living presence. This does not mean that something phenomenal will happen. God is Spirit. He is intelligence, love, life. And you will feel His presence as a quickening of your intelligence, love, and life. You will feel Him as a new sense of assurance and peace such as you never had before. You will feel Him as new vitality and strength.
Do not be discouraged if you do not see instant results. Have patience with yourself. Success is often the result of patient persistence through failure.
Many persons have to build a consciousness of the presence of God thought by thought as one builds a house brick by brick. It does not matter if you are not able to build the entire edifice in a day. "It is acceptable according to what a man has, not according to what he has not." The important thing is that you keep trying. "You will seek me and find me; when you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you."
Know that God is with you right now, this minute, helping you right now to meet the present need. Put out of mind yesterday's regrets, tomorrow's fears. It is right now that God is with you and you have only one thing to meet, the present moment. God is with you as you meet it!
God is always willing to help us, but sometimes we do not let Him help us until we have exhausted all our resources. A man who does not know how to swim exhausts and frustrates himself in aimless struggles. If he would relax and float, he would discover that the water would support him, and with intelligent effort he could get to shore. Sometimes we struggle until we are nearly exhausted before we are willing to relax and let God support us. Then we make the astounding discovery that He does support and sustain us, and with a little intelligent effort we reach the shore!
And often success is nearer than it seems to be. Sometimes where no visible results appear, a great work has been done in the invisible. "Fear not ... for from the first day that you set your mind to understand ... your words have been heard." The work of God is largely done in the invisible; it is a spiritual work done on heart and mind. But it is no less real because it is invisible.
So if you should come to the point where you feel like giving up, it is then you must hold on. Hold then steadfastly to the thought that God is with you and keep steadfastly on. For it is then, even in that moment, that the victory may appear.
For God is with you, your guaranty of victory. He does not forsake you. He loves you. He sustains you. He will help you up. He will help you on. He will help you to assurance in yourself. And with Him in your heart you yet will walk free and secure.
God is with you! That is the truth. Keep it before you. Think it, affirm it, repeat it until you have fixed it indelibly in your mind and heart, until you feel it in the inmost fiber of your being. You will feel it. Be sure of that. You will feel it so clearly that you will never doubt it again. Then nothing you have to meet will ever seem overpowering again, for you will know that with you is something infinitely more powerful, something braver than any fear, stronger than any weakness, firmer than any wavering, wiser than any doubt. You will know that in you is the divine capacity to meet every situation, the wisdom to know what should be done, the strength to do it. You will know that with you is God, and knowing, you will never be alone again.
God is with you.The Prayer of Faith
HANNAH MORE KOHAUS
God is my help in every need;
God does my every hunger feed;
God walks beside me, guides my way
Through every moment of the day.
I now am wise, I now am true,
Patient, kind, and loving, too.
All things I am, can do, and be,
Through Christ, the Truth that is in me.
God is my health, I can't be sick;
God is my strength, unfailing, quick;
God is my all, I know no fear,
Since God and love and Truth are here.
Your Attitude
JAMES E. SWEANEY
Your attitude of mind is important. A faith-filled loving, expectant attitude will speed up the healing processes of your body.
You can develop such an attitude by practicing it. When you wake up in the morning, before you do anything else, take such a thought as this:
I set God before me this day to heal, to protect, and to bless me.
Bless your food with this thought:
I thank Thee, Father, for my food. My food agrees with me, and I gain strength, sustenance, and full nourishment from it.
When you think about your nurses or doctors, think:
You express the wisdom, the understanding, and the healing touch of God.
When someone or something annoys you, say to yourself:
I am calm and poised. Nothing irritates or upsets me, for I am understanding and forgiving.
If you feel frightened, think:
God is here and all is well.
When you are worried about your affairs, think:
I place all my affairs lovingly in the hands of the Father, with a childlike trust. That which is for my highest good shall come to me.
When you have something to meet, think:
I am strong in the Lord and the power of His might!
Or choose your own thoughts to help yourself. Work them out in words that seem to meet your particular needs. Then meditate on them until you can actually feel that they are the truth about you. You can promote your healing by your thinking.
"Be Not Afraid"
Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise him, my help and my God. — Psalms 42:11.
Behold, I set before you the way of lite. — Jer. 21:8.
Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too hard for me? — Jer. 32:27.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit. — Psalms 34:18.
I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the crippled, and I will strengthen the weak. — Ezek. 34:16.
If you sit down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Be not afraid of sudden panic ... for the Lord will be your confidence. — Prov. 3:24, 26.
Before an Operation
I realize that God is in the operating room.
I am unafraid because I know His loving presence pervades the operating room, a room dedicated to the healing of mankind and hallowed by the many lives saved within its walls. With the aid of the kindly anesthetic I will relax without fear in a spirit of trust that I will be taken care of.
I recognize the surgeons, the nurses, the internes as agents of God's healing love for me. Their skilled minds and skilled hands reflect the intelligence of God. I can see that it is through His wise direction and guidance that they now await me, trained and ready, with but one thought prompting all their actions while I am with them: to heal me!
I thank God for His nearness, and I relax in His care.
I realize that God is in the operating room.
He's Standing by Me All the While
FRANK B. WHITNEY
He's standing by me all the while;
He'd have me look to Him and smile,
To look away from doubt and fear,
And know that He is standing near.
And sometimes when the shadows fall,
I need to know that God is all;
No longer need I be afraid,
For Jesus is at hand to aid.
* * *
He's standing by me night and day;
I sometimes think I hear Him say:
"Just lean on Me and have no fear
And some good blessing will appear;
Just lift your thought to Me and know
That nought but Truth can e'er be so."
I always feel that I can try
When I know Jesus is near by.
Patience for Patients
When we are sick, it is easy to get vexed with the service we are getting — or the seeming lack of it. Other patients may do things that irritate us. The food may not always seem the best. Or we may get irked at having to stay in bed or having to do certain things that our doctor or nurse tells us to do.
Sometimes it may almost seem that people and things are deliberately working against us. But our intelligence tells us that this is not so. The truth is that the hospital staff wants us to get well as quickly as possible. They are giving us the food they think we need; they are having us do the things they know will help us.
If you do not like the hospital, then you want to get out of it as fast as possible. The way to do this is to be considerate and cooperative, for that is the way to health. Being patient is better than being a patient.
Facing Thee
BERNICE MINTER
Steadfastly facing Thee, O Lord,
I am set free from doubt and fear.
I know that Thou wilt comfort me;
Thy mighty love is ever near.
Steadfastly facing Thee, my Lord,
I find all anxious thoughts are stilled, My body blessed with life and strength,
And all my outer needs fulfilled.
Steadfastly facing Thee, O Lord,
I see no darkness on my way.
I rest secure in Thy great power,
Which keeps me safe by night and day.
You Are Not Alone;
They Are Not Alone
Just as you need to know that you are not alone in meeting any experience, you need to know this about your family, your dear ones, those who are carrying on at home during your hospital stay.
When you think about those at home, when you are inclined to worry about them or their welfare, remind yourself that they are not alone, that God is with them as He is with you. Trust God to bless them, to guide them, to help them in any needed way. Know that the Spirit of God in your dear ones is more than equal to any demands made on them; that the extra strength, the extra courage, the extra wisdom they need at this particular time is theirs. God can be trusted!
When you think about your home, think of it as filled with the presence of God, think of it as a place of order and harmony, think of God's peace and love pervading it and blessing it.
Relaxation Drill
CLARA MAY ROWLAND
Your one purpose while in the hospital is to get well. Subordinate all else to that purpose. Drop from your mind all worries concerning problems in your life and the lives of loved ones outside the hospital. You cannot meet these problems but, trusting in God and placing them in His keeping, you will find them taken care of.
Instead of letting your mind dwell on problems and irritations, consciously turn your attention to God and relax.
Let go of all tense thoughts and fill your mind with thoughts of love. Realize that there is nothing to fear or be concerned about, for God, the good, is here now. Say to yourself:
"I relax in mind and body, and I rest secure in God's love."
Your stay in the hospital is an opportunity for you to practice relaxing, here is a drill that will help you:
First, feel the presence of God freeing you from every thought of tension. Then start with the top of your head and feel the muscles of your scalp and forehead relax. Silently say to them, "Relax and let go."
Then let your eyes relax and say silently to them, "Relax and let go." Then let the muscles of your jaw and tongue relax. Continue with your shoulders, then your arms and hands, then your back, then your chest and breathing, then your abdomen, then your thighs and legs and feet. To each set of muscles say silently, "Relax and let go.
Work on each set of muscles until you feel that they are thoroughly relaxed. Then go on to another set. Do not make hard work out of this drill. Do not be in a hurry. Take your time. You can use this drill after you go home. It may require several days, even weeks, before you can relax completely. But you can learn to relax in mind and body and to rest perfectly secure in God's love.
"He Gives to His Beloved Sleep"
ERNEST C. WILSON
Do you find it difficult to sleep through the night ? Do you toss on your pillow and as a result approach the new day wearied rather than refreshed? Remember the promise of David: "He gives to his beloved sleep."
Lying awake can be as refreshing and renewing as falling asleep if your thoughts and feelings are right, if you are at peace with yourself and the world. So begin by seeking such peace.
If thoughts of the day's activities harass and trouble you, do not fight them or try to drive them out of your mind. Instead make the remembrance of them an opportunity to bless them.
If sleep eludes you agree with that condition. Do not fight it. It will do you no harm to lie awake if only you keep relaxed. You will find rest and refreshment while awake as well as while asleep if your thoughts are right. Make your waking state a time of meditation. Memorize and repeat some of the prayers in this booklet that especially appeal to you. Say over to yourself the lines of one of the poems or a psalm, particularly if you are fearful, afraid of danger during the night hours. Place yourself in God's care and know that His love watches over you and those dear to your heart.
In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for thou alone, O Lord, makest me dwell in safety. — Psalms 4:8.
Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him. — Psalms 37:7.
My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest. — Exod. 33:14.
Realization
FLORENCE TAYLOR
I can be healed. God's own life-giving power
Flows freely through my body hour by hour.
I must be healed so that I may express
My Father's love and joy and perfect-ness.
I will be healed; for this my aim shall be,
To let God's perfect will be done in me.
I am healed now; for just as God sees me,
I see myself: harmonious, fearless, free.
Those Who Serve You
You can do a great deal to further your healing by the attitude you take toward your doctors and nurses.
The members of the hospital staff have one purpose in all their work: to help you to become well.
Your attitude can be a blessing to your doctors and nurses and it can speed up your own healing. When they come into your room give them a silent blessing, a smile, a friendly thought. Remember that there are many demands on their time and energy. Your friendliness and cooperation will help them to help you. It will make them better able to care for your wants and needs and the wants and needs of other patients. See them as divinely directed in all that they do, doing the wise and loving thing, being led aright. See them as instruments of God's healing and love. You will give them a lift. You will reap a rich blessing yourself.
"That You May Be Healed"
Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them and reveal to them abundance of prosperity and security. — Jer. 33:6.
And deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage. — Heb. 2:15.
For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord. — I Thess. 3:8.
And the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. — James 5:15.
Pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects. — James 5:16.
But for you who fear my name the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings. — Mal. 4:2.
An Extra Dividend
Sometimes the other patients in the room with us upset us; but sometimes we make them our friends, perhaps friends that we keep long after we get out of the hospital. A hospital offers opportunities for friendship as well as for healing.
It is not always easy to think of others, especially when you are not feeling well yourself. But it may be that the other persons in the room with you do not have the spiritual and emotional and mental resources that you have. They may not have the maturity you have, however old they may be. You may be the one who has to give the most. But you can be sure that you receive for your giving. You receive peace of mind and inward strength that cannot help but be reflected as outward healing. You may receive friendship as well, an extra dividend from your giving.
God Holds My Hand
ROSE SKINNER
Sometimes I cannot seem to see
The wisdom of God's way,
And yet I trust His loving hand
To guide me through each day.
Though darkest shadows fall about
And make my path obscure,
One thing I know: God holds my hand;
Of His dear care I'm sure.
I feel His presence always near;
Together we shall stand, vacancies
And faith shall be my strong support;
Because God holds my hand.
God Loves You
Sometimes we blame ourselves for our illnesses. We feel that it was through our carelessness or neglect that we are ill. We wonder anxiously what particular shortcoming or thought brought our illness on us.
No one can be sure why certain conditions arise. But this is sure: The way to renewed health is not worry and self-criticism. We need a spirit of love for ourselves. We need to let go of worried and troubled thoughts and open up your heart and mind to the free-flowing, all-enfolding, healing love of God.
This is the way to renew ourselves in mind and body: to realize that God loves us and approves of us, to let the love of God sustain us, and to rest secure in the assurance of this love.
For it is He "who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases."
Meditation for a New Mother
MARTHA SMOCK
I relax and let go. The life of God is healing my body, freeing it from pain, strengthening and adjusting and renewing every part.
I relax and let go. The care and attention I need are given me. I cooperate with the hospital routine. I respond with good grace to the demands made upon me.
I relax and let go. All is well with my baby. It is in expert care humanly. It is in perfect care spiritually, for it is in God's care. Its diet is in order; it responds perfectly to the food given it. It is tiny, but it has a strong urge to live and a remarkable ability to adapt itself to its environment.
I relax and let go. All is well with my home, and my family. God is with my dear ones, guiding them and inspiring them to act wisely and lovingly. He is helping them to carry on in my absence.
I relax and let go. I feel the love of God in my heart, and I am free from feelings of irritation or hurt. I keep peaceful, happy, cheerful. I welcome visitors, but I do not depend on them for a happy day.
I relax and let go. I am more than equal to my new responsibility. I am more than equal to the tasks before me, for I am one with God. I have the physical strength to do all that is required of me. I have the spiritual strength to give more than the work of my hands, to give the love of my heart. I am not alone, for I have the very Spirit of God with me to give me strength and courage, to help me to do tirelessly and happily the things that are before me to do.
"Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart."
The Conqueror
BEATRICE MARY BILLING
Fear fluttered into my heart,
Where it was met with dismay;
Making a havoc of hope,
Fear stayed all day.
Fear thundered into my heart,
Where it was met with a smile;
Baffled, bewildered, confused,
Fear left for a while.
Fear trembled into my heart,
Where it was met with a prayer;
Instantly — turned into joy —
Fear was not there.
On Returning Home
Today I begin a new life.
This interruption in my daily living, occasioned by my stay in the hospital, provides me with the perfect opportunity to make a new beginning. I let go of old thoughts and anxieties, and meet life with a new attitude, a constructive attitude. I will endeavor to build a new life of health and happiness.
Although the hospital has been a sanctuary for me in this time of trial, I know that I can find in my own heart and mind the resources to meet all that comes to me. I have within me the power to be healthy, the power to live victoriously. God is in me, "a very present help in trouble."
As a part of my new attitude I will enter my home in a spirit of cooperation. I silently pledge myself to work with those who are to help me during my convalescence to regain my perfect health.
Today I begin a new life!
Hospital Room Blessing
Do you not wish to leave your blessing here in the hospital for others? This place has been for you a sanctuary, a place of rest. Before you leave bless your room with the thought that it will be a sanctuary for all those who are to lodge here for a time, that it may be for them too a place of rest. Bless them with your new-found faith and pray that they may be unafraid.
God is present in this room. His healing love blesses all who enter it.
"I Go to Meet My Good"
Enter every experience with the thought that you are going to meet your good. Know that you are going to be helped. Go with a courageous heart. Go knowing that God is going with you. You are going to meet your good.
What Is Unity?
The Unity School of Christianity is a non-sectarian religious educational institution devoted to demonstrating that the Jesus Christ teaching is a practical, seven-day-a-week way of life. Unity presents a Christian philosophy of life that enables you to meet your problems victoriously. Unity believes that you have in you the power to overcome any difficulties with which you are faced. Unity believes that through prayer and right thinking you can change your life.
Unity centers and churches have been formed throughout the world to bless and help people. If there is a Unity center or church in your community you can feel free to ask for spiritual help. If there is no Unity center or church in your community, you may write for help direct to:
Unity Village, Missouri 64065
Printed U.S.A.
X-3-2138-75M-2-77
