Article September 5, 1936 Issue

Right Thinking

ELIZABETH CONANT DE SILVA

When beginning the study of Christian Science, the student learns that his physical condition and surroundings express the thoughts which are entertained about them. If his thoughts are of God and reflect Him in goodness, perfection, harmony, then his physical condition appears proportionately harmonious and his environment pleasant. If, on the other hand, carnal or evil beliefs are allowed to dwell in his consciousness, there is liable to be inharmony and distress. On page 270 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mary Baker Eddy writes: "Mortals think wickedly; consequently they are wicked. They think sickly thoughts, and so become sick." Thus, mortals make their own discordant conditions. Knowledge of this fact is a great step in overcoming the erroneous belief that man is the helpless victim of circumstances, subject to chance, and unable to do anything about it.

The important thing for the student of Christian Science who is endeavoring to improve his thinking, and therefore his condition, is to learn how to entertain in his consciousness only right thoughts. Christian Science shows us exactly how this is to be accomplished. It shows us how to cast out beliefs of doubt, fear, anxiety, and the like, and to allow ideas of peace, serenity, and security to dwell in our consciousness. It shows how to cast out beliefs of disease, sin, and calamities, and to replace them with ideas of health, holiness, and harmony. This, however, does not always seem easy to do. Mortals have so long believed that they are helpless in the face of material so-called laws and conditions, that even though they have been instructed in Christian Science it sometimes seems hard to do as Mrs. Eddy admonishes (ibid., p. 261), namely, to "hold thought steadfastly to the enduring, the good, and the true."

To those who are experiencing difficulty in their attempts to entertain only good thoughts, Mrs. Eddy's words in her book "Pulpit and Press" (p. 3) are a source of great comfort and reassurance: "Know, then, that you possess sovereign power to think and act rightly, and that nothing can dispossess you of this heritage and trespass on Love." "Sovereign power"! Could there be any shadow of doubt of our ability to do anything we have sovereign power to do? "To think and act rightly"! What more do we need? Thinking rightly holds the solution to all our problems. All we need to do in any situation is to think and act rightly, and we are told that we have sovereign power to do this. There can be no indecision if we have power to think and act rightly. There can be no accidents or mistakes if we are thinking and acting rightly, for we shall be in the right place, doing the right thing, at all times. Again, this ability to think rightly at all times enables us to express the healing, comforting, or helpful word to those about us. Sometimes, when we are working on a problem that does not yield readily to our endeavor to bring out harmonious results, it is well to remind ourselves that we have "sovereign power to think and act rightly." And as we realize this, the right ideas necessary to the solution of the problem will flood our consciousness. Greeting each new day with this helpful thought, and claiming it for ourselves before commencing any new work, will prevent or eliminate mistakes.

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