Article July 10, 1937 Issue

Striving Lawfully

[Original article in German]

SELMA WARDA

As long as mankind has problems, it will also have its struggles. In other words, as long as belief in the seeming presence of both good and evil asserts itself in human consciousness, one or the other will strive for the mastery. Accordingly, the battlefield is at all times in the human consciousness.

Paul's words, "And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully," have practical significance for the student of Science. Paul imposed one condition for the successful outcome of the struggle—the requirement of striving "lawfully." One has perhaps found that in wrestling with problems he has not always come off victorious, especially if he has not yet learned to distinguish between divine ideas and false human beliefs. In that event evil appears to him to be present and as real as good. Only when taught by Christian Science to sift the chaff from the wheat, to separate evil from good, and to ascribe to good sole power and reality, does he begin to think and judge aright according to divine truth, and in this way strive aright.

Thus, to the Christian Scientist right striving means, primarily, right thinking. It may be that he is struggling with some sense of lack. He may be faced with a belief of lack of sympathy, lack of brotherly love, lack of comprehension of his difficulties, or lack of ability or of ways and means. To eliminate the seeming lack from his experience, one and the same thing is required of him in all cases, namely, that he correct his thinking. The Christian Scientist sets himself to realize that God is ever present, that His ideas fill all space, and that man as the expression of divine Spirit is a perfect spiritual idea. The consciousness of his unity with God enables him to discern the fact that in every situation and in every place he is capable of utilizing the ideas of divine Mind, which correct inharmonious conditions by exposing their unreality. This spiritual ability is awakened, developed, and perfected through the study and application of Christian Science.

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