Article March 14, 1994 Issue

The door to freedom is open

Willingness to let go of fear, and expectancy of healing, are crucial elements in prayer.

Lynn G. Jackson

It all began early on a Saturday morning. A bird was trapped in our fireplace. After a few attempts to shoo him out on our part and a couple of false flying starts on his, we managed to get him into the garage. But although the garage doors were open all day, he didn't move. He hid behind the lawn mower. By afternoon he'd succeeded in landing on the garage door springs. All day I wondered why he didn't escape. Certainly there was plenty of room to fly—there was an exit I felt couldn't miss! In the evening we closed the garage doors and left him some food. The next morning when my daughter and husband went into the garage, the bird finally took flight for his freedom, soaring to the housetop across the street.

Rather than sit all day with his back to the open doors, why didn't the bird immediately escape when his opportunity for freedom was present? I didn't have an answer. But then the real thought-provoking question came: Do I ever sit with my back to the door of freedom? Do I give in to fear, disorientation, and limitation?

In my experience, I've found that many who believe in God frequently profess that God, good, is All, and that man, according to the Scriptures, is His perfect image and likeness, and then resign themselves to an inadequate income, sickness, or lack of opportunity. Some who study Christian Science may vehemently stick to the words, and yet doubt that a challenge will be healed quickly and fully. Why this gulf between what we profess to be true and what we practice? What is it that blocks our spiritual progress? In short, it's often fear.

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