Article August 11, 1923 Issue

Spiritual Unfoldment

DELLA M. WHITNEY

SPIRITUAL unfoldment is the manifestation of inspired thought, that thought which has become exalted by putting off materiality sufficiently to discern clearly the voice of Truth. Our Leader says in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 547), "Inspired thought relinquishes a material, sensual, and mortal theory of the universe, and adopts the spiritual and immortal." The unfoldment of Truth comes to the one who cherishes spiritual thoughts. When consciousness is filled with thoughts of good, everything unlike good must vanish. In the measure that this purifying process is going on is spiritual unfoldment appearing; selfishness is giving place to unselfishness; and thoughts of material ambition and greed are being supplanted by thoughts of true progress.

To advance spiritually we must begin where we are. If our surroundings seem to us to be inharmonious, we may be sure our thinking is inharmonious. We cannot expect our surroundings to improve until through exalted spiritual thinking we perceive that the man of God's creating can know nothing but good. We do not have to wait until a certain environment improves; rather, let us gain greater understanding, which will enable us to prove our dominion over a false sense of environment. In order to progress, we must take each step as it comes. We must face the lies fairly and squarely that would tempt us into making any temporary compromise with error. They are only trying to delay our progress. If we compromise with error, we may seem to experience harmony for a time; but sooner or later we shall have to destroy the error before we can really go on. We cannot forcibly extricate ourselves from any material circumstance; but we can so clearly understand the real that we can rise above the unreal. Mrs. Eddy beautifully expresses it in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 355), where she says, "To strike out right and left against the mist, never clears the vision; but to lift your head above it, is a sovereign panacea."

There is nothing more detrimental to the progress of the student of Christian Science than the entertaining of a false sense of self. True selfhood is discernible only in what is good and true; and an understanding of man's true selfhood is gained as we turn away from so-called human will and desire and seek to do only those things which please God. If we were employed by some one to do some particular work, we would not continually assert ourselves as to our likes or dislikes regarding the work; but we would consult our employer as to his wishes, and then quictly seek to please him. He who is truly obedient to God strives constantly to realize man's at-one-ment with God, and listens for His voice at all times; and when the voice speaks, he hastens to obey. Such selflessness and obedience as this is rewarded by spiritual unfoldment.

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