Article June 21, 1924 Issue

The Joy of Achievement

PETER B. BIGGINS

The writer was traveling one day in a street car which was later boarded by a mother and her little boy. The mother had entrusted the car ticket to the little fellow. He could just reach up to the top of the receptacle for the ticket; and as he dropped it in, his little face lit up with an expression of triumph. Here was the joy of accomplishment! Here was the satisfaction of having been able to do what, hitherto, had been done only by those older and bigger than he! A vision of progressive achievement was opening up before him, and he was seizing his opportunities with enthusiasm and joy.

The joy of accomplishment is legitimate and right, when such achievement is in the right direction. True achievement is always Spiritward. It is the evidence that man is the spiritual image and likeness of the one creative Mind, who has made all, and who rejoices in His handiwork. As new ideas come to light in individual experience, as new possibilities for doing good become apparent, God's work is being made manifest, and man, reflecting God, expresses the joy of spiritual achievement. The wise man has written, "The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul."

In all worthy work, patient effort is requisite. The sense of toil sinks into the background as the perfect result, the spiritual idea, appears. As Christian Scientists we have the reasonable assurance that each worthy task can be accomplished, because we are learning that the one Mind does all. Successful achievement will be assured as we gain more fully the spirit of the Master, as expressed in his words: "I can of mine own self do nothing;" "The Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works." We may derive constant inspiration and encouragement from these reassuring words of our Leader in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 199): "The devotion of thought to an honest achievement makes the achievement possible."

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The Key to Progress
June 21, 1924
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