A “SUGGESTION” may be likened to a seed which we plant in the ground. The earth is a vast potential power that contains within itself nourishment and moisture, ready to become a tree, a rose, a bramble, or a thistle.
But it lies fallow, waiting for the seed. It is able to bring forth what you call good or to bring forth bad. It can enrich or impoverish you, not by any choices of its own but by the very fidelity with which it grows what you choose to plant.
It has no choices of its own. It never says within itself, “He has planted calla lilies but I will bring forth skunk cabbages”; or, “He has ignorantly sowed thistles but I will grow figs.” Somewhere Troward has said, “Seed of one kind will never bring forth fruit of another.” Yet many are praying that it may and wondering why the Almighty “allows so much suffering and poverty in the world.”
As a matter of fact, the suffering and poverty of the world are not the choice of the Almighty but the result of our own choices. “There are two sides to everything.” The Sphinx of existence has two faces, and the power of choice is given each of us to “follow his nose.” We may go up or down, in or out, right or wrong; we may be happy or unhappy, well or sick, provident or prodigal; we may be “sweet as an angel”
or “act like the devil.” It follows that success or failure depends upon the choices we make, the seed we plant, or the suggestions which we give to others or to ourselves. Yet how many there are who, knowing this, will continue to say, “I never have a chance.” “I would like to but——” “I may succeed up to a certain point but after that——” “A poor man has no chance these days.” “I haven’t enough capital to make a success.” “I cannot decide what I should do.” “Let’s leave it to chance.” “They all rob you.” “The capitalistic system grinds us down.” “Times are bad and getting worse.” “Money is tight.” “Competition is destroying my business.” “Nobody appreciates me and everybody is out for ‘number one’ “—and so on and on.
Study yourself to see what your negative suggestions are. Do you not see that you are giving yourself suggestions that are destroying your business or vocation, and that the seeds of your failure are being sown far and wide? Do you not see that you are really “treating yourself” for disaster and that “you will reap what you sow”? Will you not make up your mind to eliminate these negative thoughts and in their place sow the seed of faith in yourself and others and belief that you can and will?
Today is the “great day of the Lord” if you will it so. Make up your mind as to what you wish to be and do. Do not “leave it to chance,” for to leave it to chance
merely means that you are going to wait until some suggestion enters the mind without your conscious thought. This may be a good suggestion or a bad one. It may be creative or destructive. It may be for your benefit or another’s. Why let some other mind decide? Why let someone “use you” because you do not have sense enough to use yourself?
Decide what is to be the great aim of your life and let no thought enter your mind but success. You must know what you want for it is not given anyone else to know that for you. If you do not know it consciously, still it lies as potential knowledge within you and there is a way to find it out. Make up your mind to the big issue!
SUGGESTION TO BE REALIZED
I have the power of choice and the ability to choose. There is a way for me to do what I want to do, and I am going to find it. I will henceforth decide on what I want and go ahead in confidence to do it. From this day I will stop all negative suggestions. I will not see, hear, nor speak anything that will suggest failure. I am success.