Article September 26, 2016 ISSUE

Satisfied with ever-present good

Jennifer Johnson

I don’t know how many times I’ve caught myself thinking, “If only ….” If only I had a bigger house. If only I had more money. If only I were thinner. If only my kids were better behaved. There’s a whole lot of thinking about myself in the above statements, and that simple “if only” can be a dangerous phrase to fall into.

While it’s right for our legitimate needs to be met, I’ve found that rather than focusing on what I don’t have, it’s much more helpful to think about what I’ve learned from the Bible and my study of Christian Science about what I already have, about what we all have as God’s children. I’ve come to realize that when I start listening to “if only” thoughts, I’m not loving the good that is always present and supplied by God. It means I’m not showing gratitude for what I do have and for the blessings that are going on in the world.

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