False Truths in "The Law of Attraction"

Once on my list of favorite books was "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne which had once helped me out of misery. It has given me motivation when I needed it the most. It has taught me to reach for my dreams. "The Secret" is an inspiration for the hopeless in this seemingly hopeless world. It claims to be a Bible-based, Christian-friendly book. However, since learning about the book on law of attraction, I've come to know Jesus and the Spirit of God and it has constantly convicted me of my wrongdoing. And as I read God's Word, I found that the teachings in Rhonda's book where truths twisted for people to live a life far from God.

Stay Positive 

The law of attraction promotes positive thinking. It teaches how thinking and focusing on only the positive things in life will give you only the positive things as well. If you ignore and not think of the bad things, then you will not attract them. While the apostle Paul says in Philippians 4:8, "8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things," unexpected unfortunate events are inevitable in this earthly dwelling.

Attracting positive and favorable events into our daily lives does not assure that we are living a storm-free life. What we need is a storm-proof life. That verse in Philippians is immediately followed with verse 9 where Paul says, "9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." Having God's peace is being storm-proof. That means that whatever hardship we are going through in our lives, if we acknowledge God's presence and allow Him to move in and lead us, we are assured that God is our Hero and He will always come to our rescue. Good things happen to us because God allows it, not because "we" thought of it and attracted it to happen. 

The Process is the Way

Rhonda describes the "Universe" as a powerful genie who can magically give you whatever you wish for when you ask, believe and claim that you have it. It illustrates that there is a catalogue where you can choose what you want, ask for it, know that you have it, and feel that you already have it in your hands. Although this concept of asking, believing and receiving is not new to us because it's in the Bible, The Secret literally picked it out the pages of the Bible and magnified the process instead of the Giver of blessing. 

And that is really contorted truth because Jesus is the only Way, the truth and the life. No one will come to the Father in Heaven except through Jesus. This "process" amplifies that we will get whatever we want from the Universe-- that no matter how difficult or impossible it is, we will get it if we follow this process. 

The truth is, it is not the process that convinces God to gives us the blessings. Paul wrote to the Romans in "Romans 12:2 - And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." If it is God's Will to give you blessings upon our request through prayer.

Self-Love

The law of attraction promotes self-love. When you attract something you like, you can only attract it for yourself, not for other people. It says that you have "control" over your own success, and you have no power in asking the success of other people. So it could be useless to ask for something good for someone else. 

The apostle Paul reminds Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:1-5, "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power." This verse describes exactly what law of attraction and the book "The Secret" stands for. It helps people to become lovers of themselves, lovers of money, to think that every good thing they get is because of their own ability and strength, etc.

Not everything the famous and the experts say are Biblically right. Let's only base our beliefs from what the Word of God says to make sure that we don't go astray. We have to know what God says to be able to apply it in our lives. Ultimately, whatever they teach us and help us achieve, God is the source of everything good in our lives. He deserves all the glory. Not any process, not the "universe", not yourself.

Contributed by Jehan Tandingan-Gesta