Seek Ye First

As much as I am a fan of ideas like The Secret and the Law of Attraction, after conversations with my husband and a friend within the past few days I am increasingly aware of the pitfalls associated with these beliefs. The problem is not with the ideas themselves but in peoples' interpretations of them. Many people seem so focused on the outcome that they do not see the path to get there. Consequently, their vision is clouded so much by what they want that they do not see what is their responsibility to give. The bible is very clear on this principle. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matt. 6:33)

Look at some of my favorite self-help gurus. Wayne Dyer, Cheryl Richardson, and Jack Canfield are very successful financially. They all write popular books, are sought out lecturers, and present enlightening workshops. They live in expensive homes and travel around the world. It's a glamorous sort of lifestyle to be sure, and everybody and their brother would like to live under similar circumstances. The thing is, people focus on what these three have now. They do not think about what it took to get there!

Take Wayne Dyer. He knew he had a spiritual message he needed to get out to the world. He plugged away for years on his own--buying his own books and selling them on the road, doing interview after interview, before his connection with the public was made. The point is, he made a conscious decision to contribute to the world first. It wasn't all about him.

Again, Cheryl Richardson became a life coach in an effort to help her fellow humans. Her books and subsequent workshops and lectures were the result of wanting to spread her message of hope, healing and spirituality to a wider audience.

Then there is Jack Canfield, one of the Chicken Soup For the Soul guys. While being interviewed for The Secret, he talked about having that financial goal. However, he did not stop there. He looked for inspiration to come on how he could contribute to the world. He said it took about a month for the inspiration to come, but when it did things happened quickly. Pieces fell into place and things began happening as he made his mark on the world.

The point is, there is always an action involved--not just the thought or belief. The inspiration for the action is also important. This is what I will call the "God component". In order to receive that inspiration you have to be plugged in to the Source. Otherwise, you could be spinning your wheels for years without anything to show for it. If you are truly seeking out where your gifts lie and listen to inspiration on how to use them, you will be in tune with your place in the universe.

Don't worry about the outcome. Trust that God has your back! Listen to that inspiration as it comes! Trust that when you seek His kingdom first, all His blessings will follow.