Should Christians ‘manifest’ things? Or is it a dangerous new age practice?

“I attract love and light,” “my dream job is coming my way” and “I’m creating the relationship of my dreams”.

Many popular social media influencers today - and many of my friends - practice manifestation. According to “The Law of Attraction” they believe they can manifest things in their lives by focusing their thoughts and attention on them, vocalising their desires to the universe, before sitting back and watching it happen.

Research shows a 600% surge of Gen Z and millennials googling the term “manifesting” just as the pandemic lockdowns began in 2020. Heck, even I, a Jesus-loving, Bible-believing Christian, was curious. So WHY the interest in manifestation?

People want good things in their lives - and they want to believe in something bigger and more powerful than themselves. I meet people who try to manifest material things like money, a car, or a house and I also meet people seeking fulfillment in the form of a great marriage, healing, or peace.

Research shows a 600% surge of Gen Z and millennials googling the term “manifesting” just as the pandemic lockdowns began in 2020.

We can use many Bible verses to argue that “the Law of Attraction” is biblical and manifestation is the same as prayer. However, there are some stark differences. Firstly, when Christians ask for things in prayer, we come to our Creator (God) instead of the created (the universe). We also pray according to God’s will, who always knows best for us, instead of asking for things according to our selfish egos.

There are ways in which manifestation works. Ever felt brought down by someone else’s low mood? That’s because you have. Our thoughts and emotions create our current reality in the electromagnetic field around us, and these are magnetic and so can intermingle with one another. According to the “Law of Attraction”, we can meditate on what we want and pull it into our lives.

Meditating is an ancient Christian practice of focussing our minds on something- be it a characteristic of God or a truth from Scripture and letting it transform our hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit. With manifestation, you meditate on what you want to manifest and imagine how it would feel to have that thing (joy, for example) and watch it happen. The roots of manifestation lie in the the 19th Century. A medium called Quimby wrote his spiritual discoveries in the Quimby Manuscripts, which include some significantly contradictory ideas to the Gospel of Jesus.

Most people who practice manifestation believe in pantheism - the belief that God is in everything - including us. Christians believe God made us in his image; WE are not God - the Bible is clear in all its foundational teaching of a creator who made us.

As you weigh up whether Christians should participate in manifestation or not, remember: everything is his.

So can Christians manifest? Yes, as far as it works - it’s science - and God made science. As Christians, we can find much joy and transformation through meditation when we focus our hearts on the goodness of God. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” Psalm 23:6

As you weigh up whether Christians should participate in manifestation or not, remember: everything is his (including the entire Quantum Field). Instead of throwing out our desires to the universe, we can directly ask the Creator of the universe for his blessings according to His will, instead of material things that only give fleeting worldly pleasure, acknowledging that ALL good gifts are from Him (James 1:17)

And what about when we don’t get what we pray for? What about when we are suffering? Suffering is part of the Christian life, and this STILL produces goodness in our lives. “We glory in our sufferings because they produce perseverance, perseverance, character, and hope.” Romans 5:3-5.