Does manifesting work? A few years ago, I wondered. I was determined to see personal and professional growth and wanted to explore manifesting to make it happen. I signed up for a live stream with a woman who promised that the key to having everything I wanted was envisioning it, and she would teach me how to do that.
I was on the verge of buying the journal she recommended for her manifesting strategies, but then I hesitated. Something didn’t feel right. Was manifesting just thinking positive thoughts? Changing my mindset to change my behavior? Or was it something more? If you’re considering manifesting (or your kids are talking about it), here are 5 questions to ask yourself first.
1. What’s the allure of manifesting?
Manifesting is based on the law of attraction, and according to Psychology Today, it’s the idea that our thoughts determine what we attract, for good or bad. In our “magic pill” culture, it’s alluring to think that you simply need to believe something to be true, and it will come into being. So it’s easy to wonder, “Does manifesting work?” Whether you want a promotion or a child to stop wetting the bed, it’s a lot more appealing to think about something coming into being via thoughts and a vision board than through working extra hours or patiently waiting for a tough phase of parenting to end.
2. Is it the same as positive thinking?
While I’m willing to admit a situation is tough, I still try to find the good in it. My dog had an episode one weekend, and as much as it was very inconvenient (and gross), I said to my husband, “I’m grateful that this happened on the weekend when we had time to give him extra attention.”
Where manifesting and positive thinking differ is that manifesting goes beyond training our thoughts to notice the good. I could have tried to manifest my dog getting well, but then I’d have to think we can believe a goal or desire into being, as if our thoughts have power to create new circumstances. But they don’t.
3. What if I don’t get what I’m trying to manifest?
A single friend told me she was manifesting a husband for herself. Six months went by, and she was still meeting guys who were wrong for her. She said, “I can’t even [manifest] right. What’s wrong with me?” One of the many dangers of manifesting is your sense of worth becoming tied to getting exactly what you want.
Hearing that other people got promotions or scored free Disney passes while you’re unhappy is tough. It’s easy to spiral into negativity, self-doubt, or depression if you believe that your thoughts shape your reality. The truth is, God is in control and wants the best for you. I’ve found many times over that it’s a gift that I can’t control everything. God’s plan always works out better than my own.
4. What if I DO get what I’m trying to manifest?
It would be great to get what you wanted, but then what? Sometimes, you’re disappointed after getting something you’ve been striving for—getting it didn’t meet the need you thought it would. It’s important to ask yourself if you’re chasing something external to fill a space inside you. It’s also important to remember that if you get whatever you tried to manifest, it’s not because you manifested it.
That’s what made me wonder how manifesting would impact my relationship with God. In my life, I’ve prayed for a lot of different things. Some prayers were answered the way I’d hoped, and some were not. But I believe God ultimately works things out for good. If the thing I was trying to manifest actually came to be (in actuality through the will of God), is my faith strong enough to stay focused on God and not give myself the credit, as if I willed my circumstances into being?
5. How does manifesting align with my faith?
My ah-ha moment was when I finally admitted to myself why manifesting was so appealing to me: I like control. There is an element of faith in God that requires letting go and trusting. I don’t like that. Manifesting felt like I had my hands in my own future, not that I was leaving it up to God. When I sat in that honesty, I realized that manifesting didn’t leave a whole lot of room for God. As much as my new year self wanted so badly to try it, I knew it wasn’t in line with what I believed, and it wasn’t good for me.
By the way, this is a good question to ask your teen if she’s heard about it and has asked: “Does manifesting work?” She might not have an answer for you right away, but you’ll plant a seed that will help her realize manifesting doesn’t honor God or show trust in His plan.
Does manifesting work? Is it harmless or something we should avoid? Why?
