The Divine Will and the Human

CLIFFORD M. SIMON

Practically all of us have heard, and many of us at one time believed, the argument that human will power is desirable, a thing to be developed as one of the assets of our personality. How often have we heard failure attributed to lack of sufficient will to give power to the purpose; and equally as often has the human will been credited for many of the so-called successes which one has achieved!

The student of Christian Science early learns that human will is false belief, the use of which finally, if not immediately, results in discord and destruction. On page 597 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mrs. Eddy, referring to will as a human quality, defines it thus: "The motive-power of error; mortal belief; animal power." She also states, "Will, as a quality of so-called mortal mind, is a wrong-doer; hence it should not be confounded with the term as applied to Mind or to one of God's qualities." It is evident that what is erroneous in foundation can yield only erroneous results. But when speaking of will as "one of God's qualities," Mrs. Eddy defines it as "the might and wisdom of God."

Now it is the divine will, the will of God, that every earnest student of Christian Science strives to use in his every action. He endeavors to eliminate from every thought the belief in a will apart from God, and to know that since there is but the one infinite Mind there can in reality be nothing expressed which is not a quality of this Mind. There being but one Mind, God, it logically follows that in reality there can be but one will, and that one the divine will.

The devil, or evil, would have us believe that there are minds many and, consequently, wills many. It would have us think that every individual has a will of his own, which he should look to for guidance and in many cases exercise over his unfortunate brother who does not possess so much good judgment as he. Jesus, the master Metaphysician, recognizing the fallacy of such an argument, prayed, "Not my will, but thine, be done." Our Master was the most powerful of all men, yet he admitted no will of his own; and it was through his absolute and scientific reliance on divine Mind, God, that his mighty works were accomplished.

The question then naturally arises, What is this will of God that those who seek the truth so earnestly strive to obey? What is it, and how is it to be distinguished from so-called human will? On page 88 of Science and Health Mrs. Eddy asks, "How are veritable ideas to be distinguished from illusions?" She answers: "By learning the origin of each. Ideas are emanations from the divine Mind. Thoughts, proceeding from the brain or from matter, are offshoots of mortal mind; they are mortal material beliefs." So we deduce from this statement that whatever action is prompted by greed, envy, hatred, lust, anger, avariciousness, and the like, proceeds from the so-called brain, and consequently is human will. But surely it is the will of God that we practice the Golden Rule; that we love our neighbor as ourself; that we be merciful, kind, just, and pure; and that at all times and under all conditions we strive to demonstrate our oneness with the Father. In practicing these we are expressing, reflecting, God's will and proving our unity with Him.

For several years after beginning the study of Christian Science, the writer labored under the false impression that to resist an evil habit when tempted to indulge in it was to exercise human will power, and ought not to be done. So, during this time he continued a slave to the tobacco habit, always thinking that since the desire was not destroyed he should not resist it. Finally it was pointed out to him that it was God's will that he give up all sinful habits, and that by resisting the temptation to smoke he would be striving to do that which God willed, and would derive strength from the divine Mind for this rightful resistance. Did not Jesus resist the devil when tempted; and does not Mrs. Eddy tell us on page 406 of Science and Health, "Resist evil—error of every sort—and it will flee from you"? Moreover, we read in Romans, "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" With this higher concept the healing of the tobacco habit was readily accomplished; and thus was it truly demonstrated that to resist evil with truth is God's will, and that thus error's nothingness is proved.

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