Article May 24, 1975 Issue

Living Without Stress or Strain

THOMAS JOSEPH Mc CANN

To many today the key question for normal, healthy living appears to be one of how to cope with stress. Whether this is humanly true or not, we need to be free from believing that existence is material and therefore subject to such threats.

Nothing needs to happen in overcoming stress, except the acquisition of increased spiritual understanding. Christian Science is the spiritually scientific Christ method applicable to daily living. It points out that, as God's image, man dwells in His infinite presence, forever reflecting the Father's power. Man is not made of, confined in, or compressed by matter, but he exists as divine Love's boundless expression. Everything needful for harmonious life and perfect happiness exists for man in Mind, now and forever. The infinity of God is natural, inevitable, and always here. Being is immediate presence; there is no time or space between divine Being and its manifestation. All man has to do is to be. He does not have to strive to be. To understand this frees us from believing in stress and strain.

Our Exemplar is Christ Jesus. He healed the sick, cleansed the leper, restored sight to the blind, even raised the dead. In spite of tremendous demands made upon him, he was able to say, "My yoke is easy, and my burden is light."^{ Matt. 11:30;} What was his secret? When you study the Master's life, you find the source of his energy was not a secret. He revealed it when he said, "The Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works."^{ John 14:10;} Jesus was constantly aware of God as Father. God is ever expressing Himself through spiritual man. On this simple truth we can build a worthwhile life without accompanying stress.