Growth

GEORGE HOLMES BLANCHARD

When we have gained, through the study of Christian Science, some concept of the wonderful truths about Life, we begin to long for perfection; but we may sometimes forget what Mrs. Eddy says in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 254) about the impossibility of dispensing with "human footsteps." She also writes on page 21 of the same book, "If the disciple is advancing spiritually, he is striving to enter in," and, "If honest, he will be in earnest from the start, and gain a little each day in the right direction, till at last he finishes his course with joy." The promise is that he will "gain a little each day." Here is where patience must have her perfect reward. The forest pine did not attain its height in a single day. The Bible says that "one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." Therefore, let us not be discouraged, but joy in each step gained and retained. A step is a little thing and shorter than a leap; but by taking one step after another, and persisting in the effort, one can accomplish a distance far beyond the possibility of a leap.

Let us reach out for some new understanding of Truth each day. For instance: study a word or a phrase in the weekly Lesson-Sermon; find out just what it means, and how it may be put into practice. Or, let us also definitely recognize some little fault in ourselves—of temper, unkindness, criticism, jealousy, untruthfulness, exaggeration in any direction—and then correct the error. These are all steps, needful steps, in a day's gain; and they open the way for a greater gain on the succeeding day.

We are also told on page 11 of Science and Health, "If we desire holiness above all else, we shall sacrifice everything for it." Certain sacrifices may seem large to us,—material pleasures, material possessions, luxuries, contentment in the false sense of friendship and love,—and we may sigh with dismay over the task before us. But ere long we begin to learn the truth of the saying that "virtue is its own reward." Indulgences which seemed to give pleasure lose their attractiveness. Appetites go without a sense of loss; human relationships are placed upon a higher basis: the old is gone, and its place filled with spiritual joy beyond all previous conception. Every time one corrects an error in himself, he is reducing the sum total of human error. The activity of a good thought continues, in conjunction with all other good thoughts, in the work of error's extermination.

Earthly darkness is occasioned by the fact that the earth is opaque. The earth turns upon its axis, so that all upon it may have periods of light; and yet, if we could journey as fast as the earth turns, we should always remain in the light. Even though at times we may seem to be in the dark spiritually, we can and should remember that "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." The beloved disciple tells us how we may abide in the light; and Paul admonishes us to "walk as children of light." The black night of which we were so afraid was what? In reality, nothing. When error seems present, we can be still and at peace, knowing that error is the seeming—nothing: the light of Truth speedily proves its powerlessness.

Every good deed, every correction of thought, every overcoming, is as a ray of the sun, rising to give light and comfort, and to dissolve finally the blackness of error completely and forever; for "there shall be no night there."

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

The Beauty of Gentleness

February 23, 1924

Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit