Testimony of Healing January 17, 1994 Issue

Several years ago I often found myself coming across the...

Donna J. Hermansen

Several years ago I often found myself coming across the Bible account in which Jesus told his disciples to cast the net "on the right side" of their ship (see John, chap. 21). I had never paid much attention to this story, but had usually thought of the "right side" in literal terms, rather than from a spiritual perspective.

In my study of this story one particular day, I found a statement from Miscellaneous Writings by Mary Baker Eddy: "At times, your net has been so full that it broke: human pride, creeping into its meshes, extended it beyond safe expansion; then, losing hold of divine Love, you lost your fishes, and possibly blamed others more than yourself. But those whom God makes 'fishers of men' will not pull for the shore; like Peter, they launch into the depths, cast their nets on the right side, compensate loss, and gain a higher sense of the true idea. Nothing is lost that God gives: had He filled the net, it would not have broken" (p. 111). It was as if someone had turned a light on for me, and I began to realize that my whole life I had been casting my net on the "wrong side." I saw my life had been based on what I thought I had made of it, rather than on the recognition of what God had graciously given me. Because of this basis, my life had been a series of financial and emotional ups and downs.

Soon my marriage broke up, in a way that was quite devastating. But as I continued to cast my net on the right side—to draw on God for my every need and inspiration—my life continued to improve. I was progressing toward a more spiritual viewpoint, and because of this the stigma and pain associated with a "messy divorce" never touched me. Holding to the one Mind, and learning to love those around me as well as myself as perfect expressions of divine Love, I was able to return to school and obtain a degree—something my low self-esteem would never have allowed before. During the two years I was in school I never lacked for anything, even when finances seemed to be strained. During this time my house was for sale. I often would wonder why it hadn't sold, as it seemed this was holding up the divorce. A family member would remind me not to doubt God's "time." After graduation the divorce became final, and the house was taken care of in the divorce process; to me this was a perfect example of God's care, happening in His time rather than when I had thought it should happen.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Testimony of Healing

My mother, who for many years was under a doctor's care...