Awhile back, I attended a work seminar, where one of the speakers recommended Ask and It Is Given: Learning to Manifest Your Desires (Amazon Affiliate link). It took me a few attempts to get into the book. Initially, the book seemed too woo-woo. However, it wasn’t until recently that I tried again to read it, became intrigued and am now working my way through it.

A few days ago, I found this passage that left a huge impression and stayed stuck in the back of my mind.

“Because, when you are fully focused upon your desire (and your vibrational offering purely reflects that), you feel wonderful. And when you focus upon the absence of something that you truly want, you feel awful.” Ask and It Is Given: Learning to Manifest Your Desires (Law of Attraction Book 7) by Esther Hicks, Jerry Hicks

In much of the material that I have listened to or read, I hear about abundance vs. scarcity mindsets. With an abundance mindset, you focus on what you seek and how to get it. On the other hand, in a scarcity mindset, the focus is on what you don't have. People that are successful often focus on abundance, as it deals with formulating objectives to direct achievement, while those that continue to struggle and are trapped by thoughts about lack, can be trapped by and in their thinking. Additionally, they can feel trapped by their circumstances and never develop those objectives that could get them out.

If you have read my past posts (which I hope that you have), you would know that I don’t preach. I believe that, when you bully, they will resist, even if what you suggest could benefit them. Few people want to be told what to do or believe. I believe that it’s better to present your position and lay down the points behind it. When you get their gears turning, they will be invested because they feel a part of their own development.

With this being said, I feel that we receive, after we have given to others. At first, it sounds contradictory. Old me would have considered this silly. Current me understands that we are blessed with opportunities. Among them, there are life, physical ability, talents to be used, opportunities, and materials resources. I believe that those people that demonstrate tangible value are compensated. This compensation increases based on the corresponding value provided.

In The Bible, I can think of two passages that speak of this. First, there is Luke 6:38,

“Give and it will be given to you.
A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.
For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.“

Here, we are encouraged to give because more will come our way. If you try to hold onto what you have and rarely demonstrate value, then why should you be compensated? How will you ever grow what little that you have?

Additionally, in Matthew 25:29,

“For everyone, who has, will be given more and he will have abundance.
Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.“

This passage reinforces how tempting that greed can be. Let’s think about it: if you focus on keeping what you have and are not compensated, if you have a serious setback, then it’ll not only be harder to bounce back but you will, eventually, arrive at zero. Whereas, if you are generous and are regularly compensated, then setbacks aren’t a big deal because they can be offset by the regular compensation.

So returning to abundance vs. scarcity mindsets, I ask you which you choose. If you have an abundant life (whatever this means, based on what you value), then you probably are doing a lot of the “right things.” However, if you are experiencing scarcity, then you lose nothing by being even just a little more generous. Take the chance and grow the little that you have into a lot more.

SO I ASK YOU, IF IT IS BETTER TO GIVE OR TO TAKE?

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