Inspiration ceaselessly pours forth from God—Soul, infinite Spirit—to His idea, man. This inspiration is His gift.
"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,"Isa. 61:1. we read in the Bible. Moffatt translates this, "The Lord Eternal, he inspires me." All of us can utilize God's gift today and every day.
If we were given a present by a friend, would we set it aside unopened? No, we would unwrap it, express joy and appreciation for it, use it. Are we unmindful of our wondrous gift of inspiration from our heavenly Father? We can draw upon this gift with gratitude. Then the strains of joy will be ours.
Examples of this abound in the Bible. For instance, there was a widow with two sons who was in dire need. She was inspired to turn to the prophet Elisha for help, telling him that the creditor was about to take her sons as bondmen. The prophet asked her, "What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house?" She replied, "Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil."II Kings 4:2.
In the Glossary of Science and Health, Mrs. Eddy gives the spiritual significance of "oil": "Consecration; charity; gentleness; prayer; heavenly inspiration."Science and Health, p. 592. Such qualities of thought were evident in the prophet's own life, and he must have discerned a response to them in the widow. It is apparent that he drew on the spiritual resource of "heavenly inspiration." Such inspiration heals and sustains because it flows from divine Mind, imparting wisdom and understanding.
How important it is to quietly close the door of consciousness to aggressive suggestions of fear, impoverishment, and limitation! We need to realize that these suggestions have no form or phase or presence in Truth, where man dwells; no animus in the realm of Spirit. With heaven-born certainty and gratitude to God we need to shut out that which would—if it could—steal away, stifle, or destroy man's God-derived good. Then streams of inspiration and newly discovered ideas will come.
Surely this must be how it was with the widow. For as she was inspired to follow Elisha's intuitive directions, the oil was sufficient not only to pay off the creditor but also to provide for herself and her sons.See II Kings 4:5-7
We today can utilize divine Mind's bestowal of "heavenly inspiration" in demonstration of God's power to control human events harmoniously. Inspired thought glimpses reality. Perception of infinite Spirit, Soul, always with us, enables us to realize the allness of God, good, hence the nothingness of whatever would oppose good. Individual consciousness, thus enhanced, becomes a consciousness in which healing takes place. Mrs. Eddy reminded the members of The Christian Science Board of Lectureship: "Your highest inspiration is found nearest the divine Principle and nearest the scientific expression of Truth."The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 248.
Whatever the circumstance, we can, with humility and thankfulness for our heavenly Father's care, seek increased understanding of divine Principle and a deeper insight into the perfection of man as God's spiritual idea. Then our heart is receptive to Love's inspiration, and we achieve the victory we long for. We see that tragedy or disappointment need not take away fidelity to Truth or render us insensitive to Soul-derived inspiration and peace.
The Psalmist says, "I shall be anointed with fresh oil."Ps. 92:10. In the hurry of daily living, do we postpone or overlook turning to divine Mind for greater spiritual intuition, Soul-originated ideas? Spontaneity of thought comes from reaching out for fresh ideas.
Do we sometimes say, "I know I should do thus and so" yet make no effort because our joy and inspiration seem to be diminishing? Then, we should check to see if we are giving proper attention to what brings forth spiritual progress. The influx of divine inspiration is ours as we recognize our spiritual at-one-ment with divine Spirit. This perception quickens thought and action and fills our days with expectancy of good, healing, and love. We recognize the beauty of Soul in Mind's harmonious ordering of our activities.
Order and beauty kindle inspiration. Neglect and indifference tend to pull thought down and to hinder the realization of spiritual good. Comely surroundings and logical planning and new goals tend to inspire and uplift us to more progressive, orderly ways of thinking and living. Inspired willingness to go forward in a systematic manner often brings new courage.
As we gain clearer views of ourselves and others as spiritual ideas—God-inspired, Principle-directed—and of righteous activity governed and controlled by the one divine Mind, inspiration flows freely. We then can proceed with inner peace and happiness through crowded days.
An illusory sense, sometimes called the carnal mind, argues that we have insufficient opportunity or time or ability to maintain our thought on a truly spiritual level and that we lack the inspiration to think and do as we should. As a result, we may try to cover up certain doubts or old fears rather than eliminate them. This would mistakenly give credence to evil.
But no matter how long erroneous suggestions seem to exist, error is never real. Therefore it is not from divine Mind, God, and is no part of true thought or activity. It cannot tamper with the spiritual animus that divine Love, Spirit, is forever giving its ideas. Soul-derived inspiration belongs to everyone, because everyone is in truth the spiritual child of God. Therefore each individual can recognize and employ this inspiration to destroy discord. Alert consistency in doing so enables us to annihilate whatever would otherwise seem to deceive, disturb, or interrupt good. Fresh Love-given inspiration can be so forcible that inharmonies will give way altogether. Then we will find that erroneous suggestion cannot deprive us of the spiritual zeal that elevates thought to know anew what emanates from the one divine Mind.
Mind's impulsions fulfill in us higher ways of demonstrating harmonious being. As we cultivate greater warmth, cheerfulness, and self-forgetfulness—and are increasingly conscious of divine Love and its perfect creation—an inspired sense develops that leads to more and better healing and to more progressive living.
Through divine inspiration Mrs. Eddy discovered the Science of being that the Master taught and lived. "The spiritually minded are inspired with tenderness, Truth, and Love," she comments in one of her messages to The Mother Church. "The life of Christ Jesus, his words and his deeds, demonstrate Love. We have no evidence of being Christian Scientists except we possess this inspiration, and its power to heal and to save. The energy that saves sinners and heals the sick is divine: and Love is the Principle thereof."Message to The Mother Church for 1902, p. 8.
May our thought-gates be ever open to receive the fresh spiritual ideas bountifully bestowed by Soul, divine Spirit. Then as we gratefully attest our unity with the one Mind, God, we will enjoy and employ the healing gift of divine inspiration.
