Article May 7, 1938 Issue

Joy

MARGUERITE VON NEUFVILLE

In learning the truth as taught in Christian Science the young student is filled with joy, thinking perhaps that all his difficulties will melt away at once in the sunlight of his new spiritual understanding. He does not yet realize that everyone must learn to advance step by step out of the wilderness of false beliefs, so deeply ingrained in human consciousness that they claim to hold one in strong fetters.

Later on, seeing the great struggle required to vanquish error, the student is apt to become discouraged and to lose his first joy and enthusiasm. But joy, genuine enthusiasm, and expectancy of good, combined with gratitude for the truth already unfolded, are vitally necessary to our progress. These qualities help to lift the heavy burdens of doubt and discouragement, and enable thought to soar into the atmosphere of Soul, where abides the freedom which is native to God's children. They enable us to see the beauty, purity, harmony, happiness, and holiness of real being.

That spiritual joy is conducive to healing has been proved by the writer. She awoke one morning feeling very ill. As the day before her was to be crowded with many obligations, her first thought was one of speculation as to how she could possibly fulfill all her duties. As if in answer to her need, two lines of a hymn came to her consciousness:

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