Article June 11, 2018 Issue

A growing trust in God: lessons learned as a teen

Elaina Simpson

All my life, I have been a student of Christian Science. I grew up attending the Christian Science Sunday School, calling on Christian Science practitioners for prayerful help, and studying the Bible Lesson published in the Christian Science Quarterly. Prayer, along with my study of Christian Science, was helpful in my youth when I was faced with decisions.

During my middle school and high school days, I had a fear that if I studied Christian Science as much as I really wanted to, I wouldn’t have friends. I was finding that what I was learning in Christian Science was not in alignment with the interests, activities, and conversations that I was sharing with my current group of friends. For example, I felt pressure to hang out only with certain people, to drink and smoke, and to always be social and never miss a party. Because of this, I became quite reclusive and would often spend my weekends alone. I started to become fearful that I would always have to be isolated, and that I had to sacrifice my high school experience. I was concerned that I would have to distance myself from these friends, whom I loved dearly, because my values were changing.

Through my early years studying Christian Science, I had learned many valuable lessons about trusting God that have even been helpful in my adult years. I learned that we can pray about the “small things” and ask God what to do when we have to make a decision. I learned we should always be obedient to God and have the motive to love.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

Thinking differently about politicians