Article July 19, 1975 Issue

Don't Sentence Yourself

JUANITA M. NELSON

"Unwittingly you sentence yourself to suffer."^{Science and Health, p. 378;} This arresting statement is made by Mrs. Eddy in the chapter on Christian Science Practice in Science and Health.

We sentence ourselves unwittingly! But we needn't. We needn't think carelessly or act thoughtlessly. If we use our mental powers alertly, if we think constructively, we will not sentence ourselves to suffer. The challenge, and the responsibility, for each individual is to examine courageously, honestly, and humbly the source and quality of his thought, to use his mental powers rightly, to be mentally trustworthy and shut out evil thoughts and influences.

I once unwittingly sentenced myself to suffer by accepting a belief that cold air blowing on a wet, shampooed head could cause ill effects. As a student of Christian Science, I knew that such a belief was not of God, but I was shallowly flippant about it. "I know I don't have to catch cold," I thought, without thinking why. But flippancy is no substitute for in-depth challenging of erroneous postulates. It's rather like shutting one door against the enemy and leaving another open.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

"Speak my word faithfully"