Jesus and the Law of Attraction

A little over a year ago my sister introduced me to the Law of Attraction. In effect the Law of Attraction posits that all reality is a construct of our thoughts. We think the material world into existence through thought. The material world does not exist independently of us thinking it into being. An idea which, at first hearing, sounds like crazy talk.

Shockingly, after having done some research, it appears science is beginning to agree with this theory. Quantum Physics gets into the details. In very basic lay terms, as I understand it, the material world actually isn’t very “material” at all. Electrons and neutrons are mostly empty space. All of what we see is, on the sub-atomic level, mostly empty space. And these sub atomic particles seem to respond to our thoughts and consciousness. All reality in the material world is merely potential until our consciousness wills it into being through our thoughts. Our emotions also play a large role in attracting certain things, and not others, to ourselves. We in the West are so conditioned to imagining our brains and logical thinking as being the bedrock of reality, that considering things as seemingly insubstantial as thoughts and emotions as having an even deeper reality, sounds topsy-turvy.

Amazingly, it appears that we can use this information to shape our world. We attract to ourselves/create those things which match our vibrations, our consciousness. For instance, if we are unhappy, angry, dark, suspicious, or emitting low vibrations in any way, we will attract/create more of the same, which will manifest in in the material world in unhappy, angry, dark, and suspicious ways. Think of the expression, “I got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.” If we start the day out poorly and in a bad mood, it seems we will continue to attract more of the same. We spill our coffee, stub our toe, get a flat tire, arrive late to work, find we are wearing mismatched socks, etc. Each action increases our unhappiness and anger, which in turn seems to draw even more unhappy events into the material world.

By the same token, if we consciously seek to live in a place of high vibrations – joy, happiness, appreciation, gratefulness, we draw/create more of these positive events and feelings into the material world. I think of the great AA slogan “fake it to make it.” If we start by pretending to be who we want to be, if we start to inhabit that role, adopt those vibrations, we will attract that reality to ourselves, and soon we no longer need to pretend. If we imagine any desire, while experiencing joy and confidence around it, we can draw it to ourselves. Using affirmations can also be very helpful. I can say that in my very anecdotal way, I have found this Law of Attraction to be true.

But the next piece of this story for me is what does Jesus have to say about this? The first place I go with this is prayer. What is prayer but launching thoughts, emotions, and vibrations out to God (thanks, praise, petitions, confession)? What we launch out is what we get in return.

Jesus said, “Abide in me as I abide in you. … If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” [John 15: 4a, 7]. I believe Jesus had the highest vibrations possible for a human, as well as a powerful and clear consciousness. If we abide in him (abide in his high vibrations, adopting his consciousness), as well as allow his words to abide in us (we follow his high vibrational teachings, manifesting them in the material world), then everything we wish will be done for us.

One of my favorite quotes of Jesus on the matter was when he said, “Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you. So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” [Mark 11:23-24]. I like in this passage how Jesus mentions the importance of the heart, the emotions, the center of our energetic vibrations that we emit. The Law of Attraction stresses the importance of emotions and heart work in drawing what we wish. It also stresses the importance of faith/belief. We must imagine what we desire in all belief and faith that it will come to pass. Jesus specifically points out that we have to believe that we have already received it first, and then it will manifest. We have to imagine and believe ahead of time. The engagement of our thoughts (beliefs & voice) and emotions (heart) along with confidence (do not doubt) will bring about even the most crazy desires (throw a mountain into the sea). This is classic Law of Attraction.

I am beginning to believe that the Law of Attraction is one of those basic Rules of Life on Earth, which somehow we are collectively missing. It is so outside of our cultural box that we dismiss Jesus’ words as hyperbole, and instead domesticate the passages.

God became incarnate as Jesus to proclaim the Kingdom of God. Part of that proclamation includes teaching us right living, and by right living I don’t mean moral judgements, I mean teaching us “How the World Works” or “How to live as a spiritual being in a material world.” Best practices. Jesus taught, among other things, love God, love your neighbor, have compassion, live with gratitude, be generous, that sort of thing. What if Jesus was also teaching Law of Attraction. “Okay my beloved but somewhat dense disciples, listen up. You are often so unhappy about this or that, complaining, and yet this world has been created for you in such a way that you could be living fully in the Kingdom of God right now if you just follow the rules of this particular existence. You have the power to move mountains if you could just wrap your mind around what I am saying.”

What if we today are missing something which Jesus was trying to teach?