Loving ourselves through our day

"Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done." Paul hands out this advice in his letter to an early Christian community (Phil. 4:6. NLT), and I have loved this advice ever since I read it. It is so simple and so practical - and so deeply infused with the knowledge of someone who lives in the kingdom of heaven. God, infinite, everpresent Love, is with us every step of the way, 24/7, and spiritual sense reflects and acknowledges this Love in such a powerful way that the heart is filled with goodwill towards others. Paul is telling me - and it might be something entirely different to you - to not just stop worrying about anything, but to be an active force for good, to be at God's disposal and to let thought yield to the divine perspective every given moment. To put every worry, every mental question mark, in God's inbox, and to walk around our day with gratitude.

A few days ago I was the customer in a lovely little store run by emigrants to the city I live in. They speak a language which I don't speak, and many features in the store were different, interesting, colorful, meticulously planned. So much care and commitment expressed. I love to come back as often as I can. While I was taken care of in the best way I could imagine, the owner confided in me that business wasn't going too well. Not enough customers. The location, a little bit hidden in a side street, a construction site near by --- well, whatever the reason: Not enough customers.

So while I was present in this little store, I started to heed Paul's advice and apply it. Here was a worry and here I was knowing about it. Were these people God's daughters and sons? Were they expressing goodness and care? Sure enough. Every good idea has its source in divine Mind and is continuously fed and protected - and prosperous. I made sure that I am able to see through the worry to the goodness carrying its own reward because of its infinite base and I made sure to honor the wealth of good in the present moment. I made it a point to demonstrate this law of good right then and made a commitment to myself to not leave before at least one other customer would show up at their doorstep. I prayed in this way for about ten minutes. And then not one, but two customers showed up. They were welcomed in, and when I left we exchanged a word or two, sharing the love for this place and expressing respect of all the goodness displayed.

Yes, we can stop worrying about anything - and we can pray about everything. Divine Love is kindling love for our fellow sisters and brothers in such a way that makes indifference an impossibility and empowers our prayers with fresh inspiration, one encounter after the other.

Paul continues his advice like this:

"And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." (Phil. 4: 8. NLT)