Article May 25, 1935 Issue

Opportunity Is Ever Present

FRED B. KERRICK

The belief in the old adage that opportunity knocks at everyone's door but once has, generally speaking, been outgrown, and more especially is it discredited by those who have gained an understanding of Christian Science. "Man's extremity is God's opportunity," is a truism which is often quoted. How helpless and how hopeless would be our lot if it were true that in this entire human experience we could avail ourselves of but one opportunity! The truth of the matter is that opportunity is mental, and therefore is present every moment. It is developed or neglected according to our thinking. It is, therefore, the divine privilege of everyone who so desires to take advantage of the spiritual occasion which prompts the development of harmonious activity. Christian Science helps one to understand that God Himself is the origin, the source, of His own idea, man; and with this understanding and inspiration come opportunities to progress spiritually and eternally. In God lies every constructive, intelligent characteristic of which man is the heir.

Through continuous opportunity we may claim our spiritual dominion. All our experiences, therefore, should be controlled by our God-given dominion. Then shall we be supplied abundantly with all things needful because of our intelligent grasp of the ever-presence of good. In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (pp. 232, 233) Mrs. Eddy writes, "There is neither place nor opportunity in Science for error of any sort." Then why should we give error a place in our thinking? The suggestion which says that we have lost our opportunity, and that there are no places to be filled, is not true; God never gives us such erroneous thoughts. We can never lose our opportunity, because we possess it only through divine reflection. As we avail ourselves of spiritual authority, we are led to higher and more perfect attainments. Failure to express this God-given dominion is merely a belief in failure as unavoidable.

When the belief looms that error is something to be feared, and when we feel that we have reached the end of all human planning, then in our extremity we reach out through prayer for our God-given dominion. In other words, when we begin to realize that through a mortal sense of strength and intelligence we can do nothing, but that through meekness, humility, and gratitude we become receptive to the supreme power, we are ready for spiritual development.

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