The Secret and The Truth

I've never heard of the DVD or Book 'The Secret' until yesterday. I stumbled upon it accidentally on YouTube. It teaches the Law of Attraction which is in a nutshell, positive thinking being able to draw good stuff into your life. The person behind 'The Secret' is Rhonda Byrne, an Australian.

Time has seen many of such teachings come and go. I did listen and watch with an open mind. Googled to find out more (isn't that what one does nowdays when we say we 'researched the subject'? One Googles!) and it's been on my mind somewhat. No, I've not been brainwashed. Nor have I subscribed to the teachings blindly. I've read quite a few positive thinking books and listened to some speakers in my lifetime. Felt very rah-rah motivated for a short while. Felt like I could conquer anything but the high has never lasted. You come crashing down to earth and junk the book or speaker into the 'it-doesn't-work-for-me' pile. The difference between reading such stuff back then and now is, now, I have the Bible to compare to AND I am careful to discern if it contradicts Christianity.

I'd like to say that prior to learning about 'The Secret', I was probably living in a hole (since 'The Secret' seems to be very well known) but, I can't. I mean, I can't say that; that I had been living in a hole because, I HAD ALREADY BEEN living in a hole PRIOR to receiving the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. All the years prior to my Life in the Spirit Seminar, I had been living in a hole then I crawled out and basked in God's loving light thereafter! Have not crawled back in since then and do not ever intend to again!

The reason why I think this warrants my attention is because a week before I learnt of 'The Secret', God impressed upon me that He hears my prayers AND He wants me to start living 100% joyfully AND He wants me to rejoice in thanksgiving for His blessings. Specifically, He wants me to rejoice and thank Him for things I've not yet received because I am going to receive them. I don't know if any of this makes sense to you. It came as a shock to me and really made me sit up when I received the message.

'The Secret' advocates, you ASK, you BELIEVE and you RECEIVE. First off, let me say that people have argued till the cows come home, that Rhonda Byrne's teaching may or may not be taken Biblically. I don't care to go indepth because I'm not ditching the Bible for 'The Secret'. To me, the TRUTH is the BIBLE. There is no other secret to Life. God is the Truth. Jesus is the way, the truth, the life. There is, I repeat, no other secret to it. But one has to discover the truth just like one discovers a secret. I'm not at all comfortable with solely giving into a New Age teaching about how the Universe can vibrate back the positive vibes which you send out. I believe strictly that God avails His Blessings on us (and it is His choice what He avails to us and sometimes, it's not what we expect) but we always have choices to make which can see good or bad end-results for us. Sometimes, God who knows better, will not avail some options to us. That is beyond my comprehension but as I always say, I am only Human. I will never understand and it is not my position to understand. I am only a servant of God. I am dust. I say this in a respectful way. I am not being sarcastic. I am truly only dust. Who am I? It is all up to God to avail His blessings upon me. The Truth has already been written, why would I need The Secret? But I thought it was a good pick-me-up, you know, it's always good to remain positive as opposed to thinking negatively.

'The Secret' advocates, asking (yes, I've already done that), believing (ah....HAVE I DONE THIS ENOUGH?) and receiving (this is a tough one and I'm still working on it). Do I have enough faith to believe that God has already heard my prayers? Why do I keep asking over and over and over again, for the same thing? Do I actually think He cannot hear me? Do I think He refuses to hear me? Do I think He'll ever hear me?


Where is my faith and trust in God's power to overcome all things? I say He is the Almighty? I pray to Him but how much do I believe that He actually hears me?


The Bible says, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened" ~ Matthew 7:7-8

I think God got tired of my broken record, thus, His message to me.


I feel that God is saying I've gotten it all wrong. I keep asking in prayer. Asking. Asking. Asking. Then Asking. Asking. Asking. Asking. Ok, in between, I may wonder, when? When is God going to answer my prayers? Will He ever?

I feel that God is telling me He hears me and to place my complete trust in Him that He will avail unto me His blessings and more of what He thinks will be good for me and I am to be happy and glad.

If you are like me, praying and asking for the same thing over and over again like a broken record and believing little that God hears you (because you keep asking again, right?) I leave you with Psalm 116. It's so beautiful and apt.

PSALM 116
116:1 I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications.

116:2 Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
116:3 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.
116:4 Then called I upon the name of the LORD; O LORD, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.
116:5 Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.
116:6 The LORD preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me.
116:7 Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee.
116:8 For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.
116:9 I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living.
116:10 I believed, therefore have I spoken: I was greatly afflicted:
116:11 I said in my haste, All men are liars.
116:12 What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?
116:13 I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.
116:14 I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people.
116:15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.
116:16 O LORD, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds.
116:17 I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD.
116:18 I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people.
116:19 In the courts of the LORD's house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD.