Article February 13, 1926 Issue

The Life of Rejoicing

M. ELSIE ADAMSON

Students of the Bible are familiar with Paul's admonition to "rejoice in the Lord alway;" and yet, do the majority of Christians appear to carry it out? On page 210 of "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany" our Leader, Mrs. Eddy, writes, "Beloved Christian Scientists, keep your minds so filled with Truth and Love, that sin, disease, and death cannot enter them;" and if we busied ourselves more with rejoicing, surely there would be less room for the many errors that sometimes seem to creep in. To fulfill the command to rejoice always, we must continue our rejoicing under all circumstances, whatever the material conditions appear to be. But how can we rejoice when error confronts us, and all around us seems dark and difficult? By realizing the allness of God and, consequently, the nothingness of material evidence.

It is often pointed out to Christian Scientists that they should regard every apparent evil that presents itself, whether sin, sickness, lack of supply, or any other erroneous condition, as just another opportunity to prove the presence and power of God, good, and the consequent nothingness of matter or evil. When we learn to do this, we shall be a long way on the road to rejoicing always. Is it not the case that although we may acknowledge the omnipotence of God, Truth, we are sometimes apt to be a little dubious as to whether He will operate in a particular case, often feeling doubtful as to whether we have enough understanding?

The writer has frequently been helped by realizing that mortal mind is as powerless to hinder as it is to help; and this in itself is another cause for rejoicing. Again, when some form of error seems to be very real, how helpful it is to rejoice in the fact that in reality there are no material circumstances, no material problems; that God and His perfect creation alone exist. Even if we only dimly perceive this, through rejoicing over what we do perceive our perception will be widened, and this in turn will still further increase our joy.

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