This morning the scripture reading was about putting faith in God not in people. The Gospel was the story of the Rich man and Lazarus the beggar. The emphasis was on how he knew the man. Today I denied a beggar some money. But I didn't know the man. Perhaps this is about answering the call to charitable works of mercy rather than giving money to crackheads.

Today I went to a noon meeting. The reading was step 11 from the 12x12 again. We read about praying for explicit guidance on matters and rationalization.

I shared that I offer my petitions to God with the emphasis on acceptance of God's regardless of the outcome.

I also shared about testing the "guidance" I receive in 3 ways; by time, by text, by teachers. Maybe by time, teachers and testing.

Time - I don't act rashly, I wait and see if the guidance still seems inspired.
Teachers - I check with others who have experience in the matters and those with spiritual experience.
Testing - I test how the guidance stands up to the what is written about God's will and the wisdom of the ages.

A member of the group quoted scripture that might have been this one : Proverbs 15:22 Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.

I thought about rationalization afterward and about how I pray that being inexperience I may not be inspired at all times that I not pay with absurd ideas and notions. In the prayer I have begun to substitute "being prone to rationalization" as I am not as inexperienced anymore. Either way the need to pray this is no less important.

I noticed that persons reading inadvertantly misread words that slightly altered the meaning of the sentences. This is a common occurence. This makes a good illustration of the sort of rationalization that can slip by.

I had a hard time putting my thoughts and words together about praying for internal change rather than circumstancial assistance. I need to develop a phrasology for this. I pray for behavioral change and guidance of thought more than specific guidance or petitions. I pray for prosperity of the heart rather than financial prosperity. With good thinking, willingness and a giving spirit come all sorts of circumstancial benefits. I think God gives us good kharma and specific gifts when he sees fit.

We had a great evening in the cool of this early spring. We practiced baseball an played on the swing and my wife got to go her meeting.