WAITING ON GOD
To wait on God is fundamental to the progressive demonstration of Christian Science. The Scriptures are full of exhortations to wait on Him and of the manifold blessings unfolded to human consciousness as a natural result, as for instance in the twenty-seventh, thirty-seventh, and fortieth Psalms. "I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry" (Ps. 40:1 ).
One dictionary definition of "wait" is "to look (mentally)." How bountiful are the spiritual rewards for such looking to God, divine Principle! But the carnal mind present other, spurious aspects of waiting. Familiar to most is the Dickensian portrayal of Micawber, who was always waiting for something to turn up—placing his reliance upon nothing more solid than wishful thinking. Waiting in a dreamlike state of self-mesmerism for exciting experiences, waiting for profitable, harmonious solutions to any or every human problem to evolve in accordance with mythical laws of luck or chance, or fatalistic waiting, which erroneously claims that regardless of our human endeavors or our prayers all events in our experience are already predestined and inevitable—such materialistic beliefs form no part of Christian Science.
One illuminating example of the Christian Scientist's concept and method of waiting on God, from the many available in the writings of Mary Baker Eddy, may be found in her Message to The Mother Church for 1902. Recounting a small part of the struggles undergone in her self-sacrificing labor and love for humanity while writing and producing the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," she says (pp. 15, 16 ): "Six weeks I waited on God to suggest a name for the book I had been writing. Its title, Science and Health, came to me in the silence of night, when the steadfast stars watched over the world,—when slumber had fled,—and I rose and recorded the hallowed suggestion. The following day I showed it to my literary friends, who advised me to drop both the book and the title. To this, however, I gave no heed, feeling sure that God had led me to write that book, and had whispered that name to my waiting hope and prayer. It was to me the 'still, small voice' that came to Elijah after the earthquake and the fire."
We too can follow the example of our Leader in waiting upon God in the face of the difficult and sometimes apparently insuperable problems which may confront us. To wait on God by persistently and positively affirming the allness of divine Love despite the arguments of mortal mind unfolds spiritual power. It lifts the veil of material sense that seems to obscure the truth regarding man's perfection as the idea of divine Principle. Spiritual power demonstrates the nonexistence of any cause and effect apart from omnipotence.
Prior to taking up an appointment in a distant city, a young student of Christian Science was regaled with descriptions of the allegedly intolerant and tyrannical methods of his new chief. Having accepted these allegations as true, he became increasingly apprehensive, and both his health and the quality of his work soon manifested marked deterioration. However, the student realized the mental nature of the condition, even while admitting the suggestion of his inability to handle it.
He began consecrated study of the Bible and of Science and Health under the patient guidance of an experienced Christian Scientist. Through this study he gained a deeper understanding of how to wait on God; how to impersonalize and deny malicious suggestions and affirm with conviction, and a measure of understanding, the oneness, the allness, of divine Principle, Life, Truth, and Love. It became increasingly clear to the student that malicious beliefs in injustice, tyranny, and intolerance exist only in supposititious mortal mind and are unknown to God, the all–knowing divine Mind. Therefore such falsities must be unknown to man, God's perfect reflection, who expresses in unlimited measure meekness, humility, gentleness, and compassion, as well as other fruits of the Spirit.
Every possible hour of every day over a difficult period of several weeks was joyfully and gainfully occupied in waiting on God and watching thought, that it might be purified. This waiting on God brought elimination of fear, restoration of normal conditions of health, and a higher standard of work. Harmonious relationships with his chief were established on a permanent basis, but above all else the student learned a valuable lesson in applying the basic teaching of Christian Science regarding perfect God and perfect man.
No matter how complicated or unyielding may seem the problem with which we are confronted, there is always a harmonious solution which is well worth waiting for. It we follow the examples and rules of our Leader with patience and confident trust, this will dissipate belief in the possibility of doubt obscuring for a moment our understanding of spiritual facts.
"To divest thought of false trusts and material evidences in order that the spiritual facts of being may appear,—this is the great attainment by means of which we shall sweep away the false and give place to the true," writes Mrs. Eddy (Science and Health, p. 428 ). As we individually achieve this "great attainment" and maintain the supremacy of Life, Truth, and Love, we shall participate with rejoicing in the salvation prophesied in Isaiah (25:7, 9 ): "And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations. ... And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation."
