Article August 15, 1988 Issue

The solvent of Love

When we've been wronged, it's easy to feel that all the changes of heart need to take place in the other person. But if we want real healing, we need to start with ourselves.

Written for the Sentinel

If we follow the teachings of Christ Jesus, we learn lessons of forgiveness, mercy, and love. In the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health, Mrs. Eddy writes, "In patient obedience to a patient God, let us labor to dissolve with the universal solvent of Love the adamant of error,—self-will, self-justification, and self-love,—which wars against spirituality and is the law of sin and death."^{ Science and Health, p. 242.} Many years ago I endeavored to abide by these instructions in order to solve problems that had arisen in my marriage.

In the early days, when my husband and I were struggling to make ends meet, there was no dissension. But later, after my husband had attained a measure of success, his life style seemed to change, and his attitude toward me became disrespectful. At times I felt almost riddled by insults. Because I was an earnest student of Christian Science, though, I turned to the Bible and the writings of Mrs. Eddy for guidance and comfort. The Beatitudes were a great help.

Then I learned that my husband was seeing a widow in a nearby suburb. I realized that this could be considered grounds for divorce. But I really didn't want a divorce. There were children to be considered. Also I knew that splitting up would not truly solve the problems we were having. To avoid a flare-up, I did not tell my husband that I knew about the other woman. Instead, I devoted myself more than ever to living Christian Science.

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