Mark Swinney - Christian Science Sentinel, Dec. 11, 2006.
I used to know a dog that would run constantly between two doors of the house whenever his owner left. Apparently he felt so much anxiety about the separation that he almost went into a trance. I’d watch that pooch run thoughtlessly back and forth, back and forth, and whenever I could, I’d try to play with him to distract him. This would only help for a little while, though, and soon he’d return to his mechanical running. The owner always came home, but the dog’s behavior never changed.
Have you ever noticed how people can sometimes get caught up in trance-like, repetitive thinking? Once I heard a person schooled in the study of human behavior say that 90 to 95 percent of the thoughts we think in a day are exactly the same ones that we thought the day before. Of course, some of those thoughts are good and beneficial. And I have found that when love for God and His creation repeats in me, I feel blessed. It’s the repetition of fears, resentments, and self-criticisms that isn’t so good. People sometimes get themselves into a “mental loop,” where they keep repeating the same debilitating thoughts—even for years at a time. Along these lines, Mary Baker Eddy once referred to the human mind as acting mechanically. But, she observed, “When the mechanism of the human mind gives place to the divine Mind, selfishness and sin, disease and death, will lose their foothold” (Science and Health, p. 176).
It’s curious how these mechanistic, habitual thoughts appear to us. They come in words and feelings that, again and again, make us believe that we’re separated from good. Usually these thoughts are inwardly focused and include a lot of “I,” “me,” and “my.” And they can show up in many areas of life. For example, someone might feel a personal sense of lack that they carry around and identify with—whether it be lack of opportunity, companionship, eyesight, or money.
When I was quite young, our family often experienced a shortage of money. Many times I heard my parents talking together about how close we were to bankruptcy. Later I got into my own mental loop, where I expected not to have enough money for things I needed. Even after college, feeling impoverished was a way of life for me. I thought about it, mechanically expected it, and, not surprisingly, that’s what I got.
This problem of habitual thinking was based on the notion that there just wasn’t enough good to go around.
Often I would think to myself, “I don’t believe it’s possible, but I hope that someday I’ll have enough money so that I’ll at last stop being afraid.” (Obviously one of those negative “I,” “me,” and “my” statements!) The scenes in my life changed as I got married, but my habitual thinking about finances didn’t.
Finally, however, I realized that it was time to start singing a new song. I saw more clearly that God is infinite good. And that since God is always present, there had to be enough love and good to go around. I finally admitted this to myself on the deepest level. From then on, I replaced recurring thoughts of financial shortage with abundant thoughts of spiritual truth—truth that governs all creation, including me. And that changed everything. More and more, I felt God’s unlimited blessings and had the resources I needed.
That’s just one example of how it’s vital to watch your thoughts, especially the ones that are so quietly mechanical you sometimes don’t even realize you’re thinking them. It’s worth the effort not to allow the thoughts you think today to become rooted in the depressing thoughts of yesterday. When we mix into our thinking the repetitive expectation of suffering, or of evil of any kind, we miss out on divine blessings.
Taking counsel from some insightful words of the Bible helps bring changes in our thought patterns. The Psalmist sang, “O sing unto the Lord a new song” (Ps. 98:1). The “old songs”—thoughts and feelings about oneself that depict loss, illness, victimization, or any other trouble—can be torn out of anyone’s mental songbook. We can all break unthinking, knee-jerk patterns of thought, and be ready to sing a new song based on the riches of gratitude for all that God is and has made us to be. This is a progressive tune worth singing often.
What are some first steps to singing a new song? One might be to let God know that you’re actually ready to release those recurring thoughts. Write one down, just for the purpose of exposing it. Then, with gratitude and meekness, completely release it. Be still and listen in your heart for what God wants you to think in its place. Keep a receptive and unselfish attitude when you’re doing this. You’ll feel love and peace when you hear God’s words—and that’s how you’ll know that your new thought is from God. Now write down that message. Carry it with you, humbly allowing it to replace old, limited views. See how beneficial it is to turn away from the old patterns, and instead to give “unto the Lord the glory due unto his name” (Ps. 29:2).
Whenever we’re expressing the riches of gratitude to God, we’re singing healing songs. “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God,” counseled Jesus (Matt. 5:8). And that’s what really matters. In our new songs, our thoughts become pure reflections of God. We’re not victims but the blessed children of our Father-Mother, whole and healthy, expressing the goodness of divinity.
Do you hear the new music? It’s beautiful. Healing. Redeeming. |CSS
Mark Swinney is a Christian Science practitioner and teacher. He lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
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Comments on Mark Swinney article “Sing a New Song.”
I am on this site following up your article in this week’s “My Bible Lesson.”
Your childhood and early adulthood experience with your thoughts
on finances are quite similar to mine I finally overcame my expectations of financial shortage and experienced many years of more than adequate resources along with a long period of progressive employment in one company. I recently left that company due to its major change in management and values. I now find those early thoughts trying to make a comeback. Even though I have adequate resources for the present time
I find myself wondering how long I can make them last and how frugal I will have to become unless I go back to work rather than retire.Your article was so helpful and timely. My first step in releasing these recurring thoughts is to thank you for the article. It has given me the assurance that I can have the confidence and patience to trust that God’s goodness will continue to progressivly unfold in my experience no matter what the human
stage may be.
“My Bible Lesson” is awesome. I find it so helpful in my study and practical application of Christian Science in daily life.
Thanks so much for your message. I love how you’ve gotten a completely new start on things. In order to keep things moving positively, I have found that, instead of using my newfound knowledge of God to ascertain what I am doing wrong, each day I use Christian Science to identify how my thoughts and attitude are moving in the right direction.
The question I like to ask myself during and at the end of each day is, “What have I done right?” Along with the Bible Lesson, I appreciate how The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) and the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7) help me identify any good things that I do.
Building on those timeless ideas in the Bible, I really think that it’s also useful is to work with some articles that Mary Baker Eddy wrote in the “Miscellaneous Writings” part in the book, Prose Works. The articles are called “The New Birth” (p. 15-20), “Pond and Purpose” (p. 203-207), and “The Way” (p. 366-359). When I study them together and learn more about living a happier, more productive life, I can identify easily how old, boring habitual ways of thinking are evaporating and new, fresh views of myself and others are gaining ground!
Hi, Mark!!
Thanks for this g-r-e-a-t article. I’ve been reminded throughout my life to “watch my thought”. What does this oft-repeated phrase really mean, though?
As I’m humbly learning how to sharpen (my) healing ability, I’m gaining a realization of where thought is when in “idle” (like when driving, doing routine tasks such as laundry, cooking, etc.). It requires practice, practice, practice. But I’m more consistently reflecting back on or re-directing thought to: 1) knowing/affirming a solid fact about God (i.e., “God is All”), 2) remembering what I learned recently from study (i.e., the Bible, “Science and Health”, articles on Christian Science, etc.) that I can ponder further, or 3) what thoughts have already presented themselves to my thought to-day that I need to c-h-a-l-l-e-n-g-e (i.e., reject as lies/”un”-truths about me or others and replace what God really knows as fact).
We all need “down”time to hear new ideas. But I’m appreciating more that thought on “idle” presents opportunity for spiritual growth (or being a-s-l-e-e-p and accepting negative “nothingnesses”, so to speak, into consciousness).
Keep the JOY and Newness. Thanks for sharing these good ideas!!
My “demand on love” Monday after reading the lesson and not having gotten as much meaning out of it as I had expected, was for Mind to lead me to something that would help me see the message more clearly. A friend pointed out the Golden Text’s “sing a new song.” Monday night, this week’s Sentinel was such a wonderful source of ideas. Further reading in Science and Health added more depth. Then today, articles from the January issue of the Journal and the readings at church kept filling out the message even more. And, now, this article. Divine Love certainly met my demand — abundantly.
Mark - This is an AMAZING article. I can’t say thank you enough for this. It is very appropriate for me at this moment. There are some wonderful insights here for the “mental loop” I’m trying to stop going over.
Thanks so much for your response! It’s nice when an idea like that really resonates and heals. It’s evidence of God showing love for all of us.
Hi Mark
Thank you for your beautiful and inspiring article. It helped me immediately to lift my head up and change the channel of self pity to gratitude and joy for the good present in my life.And to look forward to a day of loving others and doing my work without grumbling. But instead be grateful that I am the chosen one to do that particular work. This has helped to wipe out the monotony and my mom says that this is the first time she has seen me humming on coming back home from work!!
thanks a lot.
Hi Mark
I am going to tell others about your article and share the good thoughts with them.
bye
Thanks so much, Ray! And, Sunny, I like what you said about “changing the channel” from self-pity to joy and gratitude for the good that’s present. That’s truly prayer, not just in words, but in actions.
Thanks Mark
For such a nicely written and inspiring article. I have been going through swings of ‘I am so happy now and “I am not so happy now’ feelings.
After reading your article I decided to just follow the thought of praising and thanking God regardless of everything.
I will let you know how it goes
Shiela