Article February 11, 1985 Issue

"Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish ..."

BEVERLEY MILLS

Are you frustrated by unsatisfied longings? Does the promise of each new day vanish, leaving you disappointed and empty?

This is just how a friend of mine had come to feel about her life. For years she had been burdened by a sense of rejection coupled with a deep hurt brought about by an unhappy childhood. Allowing herself to mull over continually the injustice of her early years, she became increasingly bitter and resentful. She was so immersed in the past that her personal relationships began to disintegrate, leaving her feeling distressed, depressed, and physically exhausted. Realizing her need for help, she visited a Christian Science practitioner.

After listening to the woman's story, the practitioner spoke to her about her birthright as the image and likeness of God.^{See Gen. 1:27 .} The practitioner explained that as God's image she was the recipient of His love, which was pouring forth in abundance, and that she possessed the qualities of joy and peace, which could never be taken from her. Then the practitioner drew the woman's attention to the imperative command given by God to His creation in Genesis: "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion ...."^{Gen. 1:28.} The woman began to understand that as the command was obeyed, the beliefs of frustration, dissatisfaction, and hurt would dissolve. Being obedient meant she should endeavor to express the Godlike qualities of her true nature, letting the fruits of the Spirit be manifest in her daily life.