It is not always easy to hold our thought in prayer—even for a few minutes—without wavering. Hewing to the straight line of prayer requires self-discipline, because of the reluctance of the human mind to pray. We should, however, have as our goal Mrs. Eddy's great directive in Science and Health: "Hold thought steadfastly to the enduring, the good, and the true, and you will bring these into your experience proportionably to their occupancy of your thoughts." ^{Science and Health, p. 261.}

What is known as human nature resists giving itself up to God and embracing spirituality. If we are alert to this resistance and are convinced of the value of prayer, we can—through the power of Christ, Truth, expressed in Christian discipline—redeem consciousness by understanding that there is only one Mind. Not Mind and mortal mind but just God, Mind, which is the only Mind we have, the only source of our true nature. Silencing the material senses, we gain dominion over mental resistance. Prayer is a powerful weapon against mortal mind's suggestions.

And how do we open our thought to receive God's healing grace—the right directive, the dynamic, energizing ideas—that lifts us out of the miasma of error?

Science and Health reminds us, "We are all capable of more than we do." ^{Ibid., p. 89.} Applying this, we can see that we are all capable of more spiritual discipline than we have ever used.

There are no shortcuts in this patient, consistent effort to control and lift our thought. Discarding the garbage of mortal thinking, such as fear and sin, and keeping it out by applied discipline—this activity clears and purifies the recesses of consciousness. Thus made ready, consciousness receives the ideas of divine Love that meet the current human need.

When I first saw the validity of monitoring my thinking, I didn't know how to rule out mortal mind. Then the words came to me: "Drop it!" It may have taken a thousand efforts before I could consciously drop negative suggestions and reactions, but I'm learning to. Prayer is rewarded.

Often, in applying metaphysics, it is not so much that we need to know more as it is that we need to do more with what we already know.

The key to active prayer is to understand that the results are not our doing. Prayer is not a mere personal effort. It is spiritual activity. Before it every lie of evil must succumb. As the actuality of prayer appears in the student's thought, he realizes the truth expressed in the Master's words "The Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works." ^{John 14:10.} Works of which God is the author and finisher.

It is Christ that opens the door to demonstration. It is in the depth of prayer that we touch the power of the Christ that turns prayer into active, productive spiritual experience. Nothing can withstand this power.

Whether we are doing active battle on the human scene or staying primarily with persistent prayer, the world desperately needs the quality of consecration to God. Through prayer we can help meet the demands of today.

As Christian Scientists we cannot shut out the cry for help. But we have seen the apparent inability of human reasoning, logic, planning, and fighting to solve personal and world problems. And the Bible stipulates: "Pray without ceasing." ^{I Thess. 5:17.}

"Will you doff your lavender-kid zeal," Mrs. Eddy asks, "and become real and consecrated warriors? Will you give yourselves wholly and irrevocably to the great work of establishing the truth, the gospel, and the Science which are necessary to the salvation of the world from error, sin, disease, and death? Answer at once and practically, and answer aright!" ^{Miscellaneous Writings, p. 177.}

Christian Science offers us a door leading out of the prison of material thinking. This door is opened by consecrated, disciplined praying—the prayer of demonstrated spiritual conviction.