by Keith Wommack
A story from the book of Genesis tells of Jacob’s long night. In part, it says, "Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. … And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. …And he blessed him there." Science and Health explains, "Jacob was alone, wrestling with error, — struggling with a mortal sense of life…."
Jacob’s night reminds me of one of mine. I’d been in the Christian Science healing ministry for five years and was living near a university in a split-level house. My bedroom was on the second story. It had eight floor-to-ceiling windows. It was peaceful—until a fraternity moved into a two-story house nearby.
One night, a party started. A stereo and TV blared on a balcony. The sounds boomed into my bedroom through my closed windows. I prayed, grumbled, tossed, and turned.
Around 4 in the morning, the yelling stopped, but the stereo and TV were still booming. I had had enough. I dressed, walked to the corner, then downhill to the fraternity house, past a car with a young man asleep in the backseat, stepped over two individuals lying in the backyard, and climbed up a trellis to the second-story balcony. I turned off the stereo, unplugged the TV, picked it up, and carried it to my house. I then climbed into bed. Ah, peace and quiet!
Just as with Jacob, "when an angel, a message from Truth and Love, appeared to him and smote the sinew, or strength, of his error, till he saw its unreality," right when I was feeling victorious, I heard a message. "Hey, knucklehead, get up! You just stole your neighbors TV. You pray to help others by following God’s commandments, but you just pulled off a second-story heist!"
I’d let error fool me into believing I was a mortal—a victim of another’s immaturity and self-indulgence. But it was I who was indulging in a big dose of error. It was really a false sense of God’s man that was disturbing me, not the noise outside my windows! This false sense or error was bubbling to the surface of my thought to be removed.
Humbled, I got up, dressed, hauled the TV back to the balcony, and came back home. Since then, I have strived to see everyone as God made, loved, and guided. And guess what? Not surprisingly, no other party ever disturbed me.
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Funny story! with a message I can use when “music” booms from another car near mine or rattles the windows of my house.
Just got to read this today after traveling and being away from email. Not surprisingly, this very essay addresses a situation that has “bubbled up” with someone more than half my age. It has appeared that his immaturity and self-indulgence, that have been deeply affecting our business team, is HIS problem. Your writing lets me see that if I take that view of man into my thought, I’ve let it become MY problem. And the truth is… there IS no problem. Thanks, Keith!
Thank you, Keith!!
I can certainly put this into practical use also. Of all things, with relation to cats. I am inundated with neighborhood cats, because I am a bird lover and have many feeders and birdbaths in my yard. Unfortunately, the cats think it is open season in my yard, and they are many times successful. The noise of the cats at night is sometimes deafening and very annoying. I think it is now time to handle this through prayer. Why has it taken me so long? Just had a chance to read your blog. Thanks again.
Thanks Keith and I can fully relate to this. I sleep many nights in Hotels travelling a lot and sometimes I really feel I am in the middle of the next door Party. I such cases I pray to see them as God’s Child as well, to see the party as an expression of Joy. My prayer don’t always bring the quietness back, but I never felt tired or in lack of rest even if I could only sleep a couple of hours. Important is to not let the thought of anger in. It is like putting some spiritual ear caps
Thanks for sharing