Article February 8, 1919 Issue

"The warfare with one's self"

NELLIE E. PEASE

On page 118 of "Miscellaneous Writings" Mrs. Eddy tells us that "the warfare with one's self is grand." It is, however, possible that more than one young student of Christian Science has been tempted to disagree with this statement, especially as their first efforts to put into practice what they are learning are met with one obstacle after another. If we would but remember that this warfare means nothing more or less than a constant separation of the chaff from the wheat in human consciousness, how gratefully would we welcome every opportunity to make this separation. Too often do we look to the human will to do for us whatever we desire to see accomplished, and this in itself is the source of whatever discouragement we may have experienced; whereas a constantly growing dependence upon God, divine Mind, would lighten the burden and cause our efforts to seem less laborious. It is along this line that Mrs. Eddy speaks in the last half of the paragraph already quoted, where she says, "The divine Principle worketh with you,—and obedience crowns persistent effort with everlasting victory." This should be sufficient assurance to us at all times that we are on the winning side in this righteous warfare with the false mortal sense of self, no matter what the seeming, and we shall realize victory in proportion to our pure motives and consecrated effort.

The writer is grateful for an experience of about seven years' duration, which seemed at the time to be nothing short of an endless wilderness. The gratitude felt is for the priceless lessons learned during this period, which, it is now plain, were gently but firmly leading her into a purified atmosphere of thought, into better health and a truer sense of happiness. One day when the clouds of depression seemed thickest, a message was received from an article in one of the Christian Science periodicals. It proved to be a timely reminder that we are not working alone, but with God; and that good is ever operative, ever at work in the overcoming of whatever is wrong in the human consciousness. A clear realization of this was a most welcome incentive to work on more patiently and cheerfully, until such time as this truth should hold sway in thought, to the exclusion of all doubt and discouragement.

Deep gratitude is felt for still another word of assurance, given by our dear Leader on the page in "Miscellaneous Writings" already quoted. It reads: "The guerdon of meritorious faith or trustworthiness rests on being willing to work alone with God and for Him,—willing to suffer patiently for error until all error is destroyed and His rod and His staff comfort you." Those of us who enlist in this warfare and continue the good fight are brought to see that it is truly "grand," as our Leader has said, and recognize it to be the needful, uplifting, and successful activity of every Christian Scientist.

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