Article August 23, 1947 Issue

OVERCOMING THE BELIEF OF PRESSURE

DONALD R. LANE

One problem which frequently confronts men and women today is that of having too much to do in too little time. This often results in a sense of pressure and the feeling that one is being driven by circumstances outside one's control. A student of Christian Science who seemed to be faced with this condition was led to look into the Concordances of the writings of Mary Baker Eddy to see what she might have to say on this subject. His surprise can be imagined when he discovered that the word pressure, which denoted a state of affairs that seemed very real to him, was used by Mrs. Eddy only once in all her published writings. Yet her days were filled with constructive activity.

On page 451 of the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, the student found this thought-provoking statement: "Christian Scientists must live under the constant pressure of the apostolic command to come out from the material world and be separate." In this inspired directive our Leader shows how one may find freedom from the insidious belief of pressure; indeed, she emphasizes her point by using the word must. The correct way to solve the problem, then, lies in persistently and consistently identifying oneself as a child of God, of Spirit, and therefore as dwelling undisturbed in God's harmonious kingdom. This realization brought the student a definite sense of freedom from the false belief of pressure, and this better understanding has remained to bless him in many instances.

Our Leader's choice of words is always worthy of careful consideration, and it is evident that in this instance her use of the words "the constant pressure" is important. It implies that the sincere student of Christian Science cannot overlook the insistent demand that the world, its means, and its way of thinking be emphatically put off, even as Paul said we must "put off the old man" (Eph. 4:22). No provision is made for any halfway stand which might indicate that one could occasionally descend to the level of the carnal mind and tarry there. We read on page 74 of the textbook that "in Christian Science there is never a retrograde step, never a return to positions outgrown." If we seem to have retreated from the high position we thought we had gained, this indicates that we have not sufficiently overcome some false material belief concerning life. Such a failure should spur us on to stronger efforts to spiritualize our thought, to be more alert and obedient to the demands of Principle.

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