Question of the Week May 6, 2013 ISSUE

Dealing with competition

Heather Libbe, The Harrisons, Amanda Weitman, Gillian Fife Rees

JSH-Online.com recently featured this question of the week:

“How do you deal with the thought that you are in competition with others, perhaps on the job, in your family, or at school?” 

Read a selection of excerpted responses from site visitors.

In thinking about competition, I love working with the following idea that Mary Baker Eddy includes in Retrospection and Introspection: “Each individual must fill his own niche in time and eternity” (p. 70 ). To me, this is such a lovely treatment for the fear that might seem to stem from a false sense of competition. What seems to be behind this fear? That somehow there isn’t enough good to go around. ... we know that this just can’t be the case. God—good—is infinite, which includes all success, employment, supply, happiness, purpose, fulfillment, love, and right place. —Heather Libbe

If you accept the concept of competition with another, you begin with the premise that there is a limited amount of good available. If we instead begin with the understanding that God provides all good inexhaustibly, limitlessly, and equally to all Her children, that removes any element of fear, lack, or envy. Taking it another step, we know that God as divine Principle has already provided completely for every need each of us has. We don’t need to worry about how to meet a need we perceive. God’s already done that! It’s more like reading a well-written novel with the pleasant anticipation that everything will turn out well. —The Harrisons

A couple of weeks ago I was on a business trip in meetings with very competitive (albeit very nice) people. In that week’s [Christian Science Bible] Lesson, the Responsive Reading really helped me prepare my thought when I replaced the word me with the word our or us as I read. The verses then went like this: “God is [our] strength and power: And he maketh [our] way perfect. He maketh [our] feet like hinds’ feet: and setteth [us] upon [our] high places. … Thou hast also given [us] the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made [us] great. ... The Lord will perfect that which concerneth [us]” (II Samuel 22:33, 34, 36 ; Psalms 138:8 ). Turning these verses into a universal prayer for everyone cut right through the sense of competition and the need to be number one. The meetings went really well! —Amanda Weitman

I have always loved the fact that when I am able to take pleasure, joy, happiness in the success and good in the lives of others, I too am blessed. When we are jealous or competitive, it keeps us from experiencing the warmth and light from “their” good. We know that God loves all Her creation, and therefore the good someone else experiences can in no way take away from our good. ... Rejoicing in another’s good and being grateful for every example of abundance, richness, happiness, health, is a way that we can “pray without ceasing” (I Thessalonians 5:17 ). —Gillian Fife Rees

You can read more responses to this Question of the Week on JSH-Online. Go to this link:
sentinel.christianscience.com/qotw-competition

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