I know people in serious financial hardship because of the current Coronavirus situation. The thoughts in this post are for them, as well as for the rest of us who, while not desperate, need to realize more income to utilize in needed or neglected projects. These ideas I have proven true in small ways, but now it is time to step it up to a larger and more inclusive demonstration.

Let’s start by owning that material possessions are not in themselves satisfying, or if they seem to be so, it is only fleeting. It may look like possessions are gratifying, until you have them, and find you still come up empty. We are not here to accumulate. We crave meaning and connection. Lack, wherever manifested, is just the illusion of fear, ignorance, or sin.  It also stems from the belief that we can be separated from God.

Materialism rests on the love of money, which incorporates lust, greed, selfishness, injustice, anxiety, envy, and fear, mixed in along with better traits, as part of daily commerce. The Bible says, “For the love of money is the root of all evil: “(I Timothy 6:10)

But money itself is a neutral thing. The poet Shelley wrote a more balanced approach, “I desire money because I think I know the use of it. It commands labor; it gives leisure; and to give leisure to those who will employ it in the forwarding of the truth is the noblest present an individual man can make to the whole.” It is not wrong to desire money for good purposes, valuing what you can accomplish with it, but to substitute it for God, reaps most of the problems mankind has ever known.

It is best to understand that money is simply a medium of exchange, something given for something received. At its heart money is gratitude. It is appreciation for a needed commodity. Money also includes the idea of honesty and purpose in an equitable, balanced, fair trade, where both sides benefit. Therefore, it is not so much of a question of how much money you have, but how much blessing you are giving and receiving, and how much gratitude you express. 

Mary Baker Eddy says in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, “Are we really grateful for the good already received? Then we shall avail ourselves of the blessings we have, and thus be fitted to receive more.” We are required to cultivate the habit of being truly thankful for everything, and then to magnify and amplify that good. Then, as if by an invisible equal sign, in that ratio, we’ll increase our manifestation of supply.

Each of us is a spiritual idea that by design automatically comes with everything we need. This truth is so very helpful and reassuring when having children, but we need to apply that brilliant idea to ourselves as well. Each one of us is God’s reflection of infinite abundance, which includes every right quality and attribute. You already include the idea of substance and supply, just as you include love, peace, joy, life, intelligence, as derived from God. Substance and supply are non-material things, like all ideas are. You already include ALL the ideas that constitute God’s image and likeness; you just need to access them and utilize them.

Jesus advised, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God… and all these things shall be added unto you.” In the Kingdom of God– which we are promised is both within and at hand– it is clear everything is already worked out and blissfully provided. Let’s prioritize setting our affections on God, and discerning the spiritual nature of substance and satisfaction, before even thinking about receiving infinite good. That’s not so hard to do, when in return, we are promised everything!  Let’s stop leaning on matter, material money, circumstances, or other people as the solution, and honor God alone, as the power that will reliably meet our needs. 

Because what you think governs your experience, you need to watch your thoughts to be sure they match the outward manifestation you desire to produce. Mrs. Eddy goes on to say, “Hold thought steadfastly to the enduring, the good, and the true, and you will bring these into your experience proportionably to their occupancy of your thoughts.” When we focus on lack and limitation, we bring that upon ourselves in proportion to how much they inhabit our thinking. What are you consciously or unconsciously admitting as real and actual in your own inmost, private thoughts? Your outcome in life will align exactly with what you are really thinking.

No one is ever without income, because something is coming into your thoughts every minute. Every good thing is an idea of God, and should be recognized as such. We are constantly supplied with an abundance of ideas by God, and these ideas transform into our daily needs being met.

So expand your positive, God-like thoughts, which will make deposits in your spiritual bank account. Identify with God’s idea of abundance over that of the world’s. Shut the door on any negative thinking that takes withdrawals from that account. Good cannot be attained negatively.

What is the spiritual idea behind what you need? What is substance, considered mentally? Do you believe God would deny his children? Can we even imagine God’s inexhaustible supply of power, ideas, and goodness? Do you really believe that God is the one and only Source?

We have nothing underived from God, nor can our sense of supply be incomplete, since as God’s reflection, we have everything that God includes. We have a gracious fulness of supply, because it is God’s will for each of us to have an overflow of everything good and needful. We simply must look to God, reflect God, and seek to do God’s will. As God’s dependents, we give the respect of our prompt, implicit obedience, while all the responsibility for providing for us remains on God’s shoulders. Remember that “God giveth the increase,” (I Cor 3:7) and we are not required to.

We cannot be separated from supply any more than we can be removed from God. Supply is completely spiritual, limitless, and totally indivisible. It is not a pie with only a certain number of slices. There is really no such thing as lack, because spiritual supply is continuous and does not start or stop, ebb, lapse, spurt, surge, gush or dwindle. It is steady, secure, huge, and right there when you need it. Divine Mind is a multiplier, which means the possible abundance from this source is exponentially endless. That’s why Mary Baker Eddy says, “God has infinite resources with with to bless mankind.”

Our sufficiency is of a God, who is competent and beneficent, large and in charge. We can’t get away from that. We live to express the ever-present sufficiency of omnipresent omnipotence. All that we are and ever have is the reflection of God. We don’t just receive good; we are, ourselves, the precise expression of good. 

We do not need to worry about our success. Unreservedly, we must rely on the fact that God already is (not is going to be) our success and supply, just as God is everything else to us. God is the employer, and our job is to express all of God’s qualities and attributes. God not only provides the supply of them, but also the channels through which they come. Each and every opportunity includes within it the ability to bring it to fruition.

Stop outlining or figuring out how it could work out. Stop putting your trust in matter, because it is a sure dead end. Stop all human opinions, since they are valueless distractions. Stop examining your ability or inability to meet your obligations. Stop counting, which is a form of limitation. Avoid all that.

We must not block, hinder, retard or limit God’s blessings and supply from flowing into our life. Instead, let’s exercise wisdom, resourcefulness, economy, prudence, alertness, and judiciously administer what comes to hand. Let’s accept, appreciate, and use whatever God supplies us with. Eddy admonishes us, “Shall we plead for more at the open fount, which is pouring forth more than we accept?” Realize you live to express eternal sufficiency, which is an ever-present quality of Life.

Lack and limitation are unknown to omnipotent God. Focus on God’s promises, “Those that seek me early shall find me… That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.” (Proverbs 8) God will bring to pass whatever is best for all concerned.

“And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” (Matthew 21:22) Put your confidence in God for all that you need. Think of Jesus with the loaves and the fishes, feeding more than five thousand on very little. This proved that it is God –not the limited picture in front of you– that can take care of your needs. Also remember that Jesus took his tax money out of the fish’s mouth, so be prepared for support to come in very unexpected ways!

“Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?” (Matthew 6:26)

“Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need,” and “No good is but the good God bestows,” are two other favorite quotes by Mary Baker Eddy.

Please feel reassured. You are safe and well cared for in the palm of God’s hand. God will show you what needs to be done.