Are we falling short?
I am not good enough. ” “I’m behind.” “Who am I to do this?” It’s tempting to listen to doubts like these—and then spend time and energy trying to “fix” ourselves. But such doubts are typically founded on a premise of elusive, ever-changing ideals or artificial standards. These shift based on culture, comparison, and circumstance, making them impossible to meet consistently. And this places our self-assessment on unstable ground.
If this is where we find ourselves, Christian Science offers something transformative. It defines “self” from a whole different standpoint: seeing each individual as the expression of God. Genuine identity, then, is not sourced in personal characteristics or strengths but in God. The qualities we express originate in God, Love, and are reflected in our spiritual individuality, which is unchangeable and eternal. This calls into question what it means to be “falling short” in the first place, because it shows that what appears as lack or limitation is not the truth of our being but a false view of it.
The Apostle Paul wrote in his second letter to the Christians at Corinth, “God is able to make all grace [every favor and earthly blessing] come in abundance to you, so that you may always [under all circumstances, regardless of the need] have complete sufficiency in everything [being completely self-sufficient in Him], and have an abundance for every good work and act of charity” (II Corinthians 9:8, Amplified Bible). This is a very different starting point for individual growth. When we identify ourselves with problems that need fixing, things get complicated. But when we begin with God and what that tells us about who we are, things get clarified. We start from the basis of completeness and work to see how this truth unfolds in our experience.
Enjoy 1 free Sentinel article or audio program each month, including content from 1898 to today.
