Article April 6, 1974 Issue

Patient Waiting

HARRIETT POST O'NEILL

When a healing seems to be prolonged, we need to learn how to keep our waiting both patient and active. In the Bible we read, "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain."^{James 5:7;}

The farmer diligently works to prepare the soil and sows his seed. Then he must patiently wait for the result. The early rain at sowing time, necessary for the seed to establish itself in the ground, may be likened to our first approach to a problem when we begin our necessary metaphysical work, our affirmation of the basic truth of perfect, spiritual being and of man in God's likeness, free from sin and disease.

If our healing is not quick, we know there are lessons to be learned through our spiritual growth. We may find some weeding needs to be done in consciousness. We need to uproot erroneous thoughts and cast them aside to make room for the appearing of the Christ, Truth. We need to deny the reality of anything unlike God. This includes any thoughts and acts of ours that are ungodlike. This period of weeding and more waiting necessitates work. Mrs. Eddy says, "The song of Christian Science is, 'Work—work—work—watch and pray.'"^{Message to The Mother Church for 1900, p. 2;}

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