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Beyond the 'usual steps'
In her book The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany Mary Baker Eddy writes: “As an active portion of one stupendous whole, goodness identifies man with universal good. Thus may each member of this church rise above the oft-repeated inquiry, What am I? to the scientific response: I am able to impart truth, health, and happiness, and this is my rock of salvation and my reason for existing” (p. 165 ).”
That statement came to mean a lot to me about a year ago when I felt that I was just coasting through my work in search of a truly satisfying career. After much prayer, I left the company that had been my home for 25 years to seek employment elsewhere.
As I embarked on this journey, I read and reread Mrs. Eddy’s words. I strove to see that each day I could impart “truth, health, and happiness,” and that those qualities, which were mine as a reflection of God, could not be hidden. They could prove a benefit to others, too.
I took the usual steps people take when job hunting—online searching, networking, scrutinizing classified ads, and so on. Then I felt impelled to call a Christian Science practitioner, which I later realized was where I should have begun. She reminded me that God sees us only in our right place, under His government. I continued to spend much time in prayer, listening for God’s guidance. I focused on getting my spiritual house in order, my physical home in order, and my finances in order.
I didn’t feel discouraged. I saw this experience as an opportunity for spiritual growth. I saw my goal as “striving to assimilate more of the divine character,” which Mrs. Eddy tells us, “will mould and fashion us anew, until we awake in His likeness” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 4 ).
I actually looked forward to what would be new in my life—what God had in store for me. I knew it would be just right, and held firmly to another statement from Science and Health: “Unselfish ambition, noble life-motives, and purity,—these constituents of thought, mingling, constitute individually and collectively true happiness, strength, and permanence“ (p. 58 ).
One afternoon my phone rang. It was an old friend of mine, someone I had worked for more than 15 years ago. He had heard that I was looking to make a change in my employment and had a sincere interest in the positions I was considering. After chatting for a bit, he said, “If you can be patient, I think I have just the opportunity for you.”
He said he would need to make some changes within his organization that would result in promotions for two individuals who deserved the increase. This would involve moving one of them across the country, but that would open an opportunity for me right in my own state, with more than adequate compensation. He said I would need to apply for the position and be interviewed, but he was confident that I would be a good fit for the company. After an extensive interview process, I became convinced that this was God’s plan for me. They made me an offer, which I accepted, and the job has proved to be all I could have asked for.
I’m deeply grateful for what I learned early in my life about how to pray and follow God’s direction, and for what I continue to learn about living Christian Science today.
—Lori Gray, Flagstaff, Arizona, US