Deborah Skillin, a Christian Science practitioner living in Florida, recently challenged Radio Sentinel’s listeners to watch every choice they make, by using a checklist: one for choices that aim us toward God, the other for choices that steer our thought away from God. She defined sin as making choices that turn us away from God. And she identified repentance as throwing off those poor choices.
This delightfully practical approach to monitoring what occupies our mental energy, invites us to do something constructive. That very morning while driving, I began to weigh my thoughts. One mildly critical thought would have waltzed right past the mental security detector, had I not been so closely examining my thinking. It was a joy to take charge and say, “Nope. Not going there!” Criticism is one of those mental elements that steers us away from God.
I asked God what He/She knew, and He told me worthwhile things about this person that I had forgotten. These were thoughts leading towards God and towards recognizing His harmonious government of the universe – and leading out of the mesmerism of negative thinking.
What a God-given privilege to be able to make choices, to have the opportunity to choose the best course of action. And to realize that we can select our thoughts as carefully as we would select quality furnishings for our homes.
This delightfully practical approach to monitoring what occupies our mental energy, invites us to do something constructive. That very morning while driving, I began to weigh my thoughts. One mildly critical thought would have waltzed right past the mental security detector, had I not been so closely examining my thinking. It was a joy to take charge and say, “Nope. Not going there!” Criticism is one of those mental elements that steers us away from God.
I asked God what He/She knew, and He told me worthwhile things about this person that I had forgotten. These were thoughts leading towards God and towards recognizing His harmonious government of the universe – and leading out of the mesmerism of negative thinking.
What a God-given privilege to be able to make choices, to have the opportunity to choose the best course of action. And to realize that we can select our thoughts as carefully as we would select quality furnishings for our homes.
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“Of two things fate cannot rob us;
namely, of choosing the best,
and of helping others thus to choose.”
Mary Baker Eddy
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