Article July 3, 1965 Issue

Discouragement Is Delusion

WILLIAM ROBERT SUDDABY

One night many years ago in a quiet olive grove near the brook of Cedron a young man bravely faced alone the agonizing depths of human sorrow. He had often come here with his friends and had shared with them the wondrous spiritual light which glowed in his heart. But even those who had felt most closely the touch of his tender love and patient teachings were all asleep now, and he was left alone.

There was no human hand to comfort, no earthly assurance that his lifework was not lost, and no historical precedent for what he must do—nor even a human surety that it could be done. Yet Jesus of Nazareth, God's faithful Son, turned from this most discouraging mortal evidence on the night of his betrayal and found holy strength and inspiration in submission to the will of his heavenly Father, Love. In the midst of his human struggles he was conscious of his real, spiritual identity as the beloved child of his Father's unfailing care. With this sublime consciousness he went on to wrest the final victory of resurrection and ascension from what seemed to be an inevitable defeat—the crucifixion.

From Christian Science we learn that no matter how black a picture mortal sense would present to us, we can take courage from our Saviour's example and realize that right this very moment evil, error, is not real. A clear perception of this truth leaves nothing that can be discouraging but opens the door of our thought to the divine energies of good, which lift us on flood tides of encouragement and bring us healing.

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