Article October 5, 1992 Issue

Stability—dull and boring?

A spiritual, God-derived view of identity can show us some valuable things about the qualities that really belong to us—and those that don't.

Julie Campbell Tatham

When I became a Christian Scientist many years ago, I was suffering from a bad case of instability, although I didn't realize it. A friend helped open my eyes to the problem.

At first I was shocked and rebellious. I had always thought of my ups and downs and wide mood swings as an integral part of my artistic temperament. I felt this was rather interesting. My friend pointed out that being unpredictable was no more attractive or interesting than being stolid and always predictable. She patiently helped me see that stability doesn't exclude the beautiful qualities of Soul, God. In fact, man as God's image—which is our actual selfhood—must express the fullness of the divine nature and nothing unlike it. My real nature, then, couldn't include ugly traits like instability.

When I began to think and pray about it, I saw how right my friend was! A stable person is usually poised and serene. He doesn't indulge in erratic extremes. As a rule he's a loyal friend, a reliable and trustworthy employee, and a just, tolerant employer. He can be found keeping his "cool" under stress. A stable person expresses not only the loveliness of Soul but also the rocklike strength of divine Principle.

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