THE
illustrations given in the last chapter will have conveyed to the reader the
fact that the first step toward getting rich is to convey the idea of your
wants to the Formless Substance.
This
is true, and you will see that in order to do so it becomes necessary to relate
yourself to the Formless Intelligence in a harmonious way.
To
secure this harmonious relation is a matter of such primary and vital
importance that I shall give some space to its discussion here, and give you
instructions which, if you will follow them, will be certain to bring you into
perfect unity of mind with God.
The
whole process of mental adjustment and atonement can be summed up in one word,
gratitude.
First,
you believe that there is one Intelligent Substance, from which all things
proceed; second, you believe that this Substance gives you everything you
desire; and third, you relate yourself to it by a feeling of deep and profound
gratitude.
Many
people who order their lives rightly in all other ways are kept in poverty by
their lack of gratitude. Having received one gift from God, they cut the wires
which connect them with Him by failing to make acknowledgment.
It
is easy to understand that the nearer we live to the source of wealth, the more
wealth we shall receive; and it is easy also to understand that the soul that
is always grateful lives in closer touch with God than the one which never
looks to Him in thankful acknowledgment.
The
more gratefully we fix our minds on the Supreme when good things come to us,
the more good things we will receive, and the more rapidly they will come; and
the reason simply is that the mental attitude of gratitude draws the mind into
closer touch with the source from which the blessings come.
If
it is a new thought to you that gratitude brings your whole mind into closer
harmony with the creative energies of the universe, consider it well, and you
will see that it is true. The good things you already have have come to you
along the line of obedience to certain laws. Gratitude will lead your mind out
along the ways by which things come; and it will keep you in close harmony with
creative thought and prevent you from falling into competitive thought.
Gratitude
alone can keep you looking toward the All, and prevent you from falling into
the error of thinking of the supply as limited; and to do that would be fatal
to your hopes.
There
is a Law of Gratitude, and it is absolutely necessary that you should observe
the law, if you are to get the results you seek.
The
law of gratitude is the natural principle that action and reaction are always
equal, and in opposite directions.
The
grateful outreaching of your mind in thankful praise to the Supreme is a
liberation or expenditure of force; it cannot fail to reach that to which it
addressed, and the reaction is an instantaneous movement towards you.
"Draw
nigh unto God, and He will draw nigh unto you." That is a statement of
psychological truth.
And
if your gratitude is strong and constant, the reaction in Formless Substance
will be strong and continuous; the movement of the things you want will be
always toward you. Notice the grateful attitude that Jesus took; how He always
seems to be saying, "I thank Thee, Father, that Thou hearest me." You
cannot exercise much power without gratitude; for it is gratitude that keeps
you connected with Power.
But
the value of gratitude does not consist solely in getting you more blessings in
the future. Without gratitude you cannot long keep from dissatisfied thought
regarding things as they are.
The
moment you permit your mind to dwell with dissatisfaction upon things as they
are, you begin to lose ground. You fix attention upon the common, the ordinary,
the poor, and the squalid and mean; and your mind takes the form of these
things. Then you will transmit these forms or mental images to the Formless,
and the common, the poor, the squalid, and mean will come to you.
To
permit your mind to dwell upon the inferior is to become inferior and to
surround yourself with inferior things.
On
the other hand, to fix your attention on the best is to surround yourself with
the best, and to become the best.
The
Creative Power within us makes us into the image of that to which we give our
attention.
We
are Thinking Substance, and thinking substance always takes the form of that
which it thinks about.
The
grateful mind is constantly fixed upon the best; therefore it tends to become
the best; it takes the form or character of the best, and will receive the
best.
Also,
faith is born of gratitude. The grateful mind continually expects good things,
and expectation becomes faith. The reaction of gratitude upon one's own mind
produces faith; and every outgoing wave of grateful thanksgiving increases
faith. He who has no feeling of gratitude cannot long retain a living faith;
and without a living faith you cannot get rich by the creative method, as we
shall see in the following chapters.
It
is necessary, then, to cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good
thing that comes to you; and to give thanks continuously.
And
because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all
things in your gratitude.
Do
not waste time thinking or talking about the shortcomings or wrong actions of
plutocrats or trust magnates. Their organization of the world has made your
opportunity; all you get really comes to you because of them.
Do
not rage against, corrupt politicians; if it were not for politicians we should
fall into anarchy, and your opportunity would be greatly lessened.
God
has worked a long time and very patiently to bring us up to where we are in
industry and government, and He is going right on with His work. There is not
the least doubt that He will do away with plutocrats, trust magnates, captains
of industry, and politicians as soon as they can be spared; but in the
meantime, behold they are all very good. Remember that they are all helping to
arrange the lines of transmission along which your riches will come to you, and
be grateful to them all. This will bring you into harmonious relations with the
good in everything, and the good in everything will move toward you.