Article February 10, 1968 Issue

"The uses of adversity"

ARTHUR F. CURRAN

The poet Shakespeare wrote, "Sweet are the uses of adversity," and many students of Christian Science have learned that adversity, even opposition and antagonism, can result in mental improvement and therefore be a real benefit to them. It depends on their reaction to the discord.

The writer of Hebrews expressed a similar thought when he wrote, "Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby." ^{ Hebr. 12:11;} If, because of opposition, just or unjust, we spiritualize our concept of man as God's child, we are being exercised in the right way. Such mental activity results in good for all.

Knowing God as absolute good, we find that there is no condemnation for man, who, the Bible says, is the image of God. This real man is the expression of divine Principle, Love, and he is governed by Mind, which is Truth. It is impersonal evil, animal magnetism, that would mesmerize us with the belief that man is an imperfect mortal, quite unlike his creator, while all the time the true selfhood of each of us is the changeless manifestation of good and of nothing else.

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