"We glory in tribulations"

JUSTINE ROBERTS

In the fifth chapter of Romans Paul writes, "We glory in tribulations." For a long time these words caused a sense of resentment in the thought of the writer; it seemed so foolish to rejoice over the ills that beset human existence. Since then she has learned, through the study of Christian Science, the fuller import of Paul's words.

Jesus said, "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." To know the truth is to realize that man is made in the image and likeness of God; that in reality man has no part in anything unlike God, good; or, in other words, that man reflects good.

Paul was learning to prove the words of our Master; and he gloried in tribulation because he saw in it an opportunity to reverse the evil by declaring and proving the all-power of God. Whenever he passed through any of the human experiences of the mortal dream, he rejoiced in that it afforded another opportunity to know the truth, as Jesus said, and to prove with absolute certainty that man is made free through this knowing. As his vision widened, Paul was enabled to write, "I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, ... nor things present, not things to come, ... nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." He could write this with conviction, for he had proved it many times.

It is not necessary that we should experience sorrow and trouble in order to prove God's allness and man's freedom; but we shall pass through these human conditions until every vestige of mortal thought has been destroyed through the understanding of the truth. What joy is ours that when the storms of evil beat upon us we can experience, through our understanding of divine Principle and of man's relation to Principle, the "Peace, be still" which calms our fears and eventually will set us free from every inharmonious condition of human experience.

The gratitude Christian Scientists have for Mary Baker Eddy is sincere and deep; for did not she open again for us the way which our Master first marked out, and through her obedience to the revelation of God's law, her loyalty to good and her love for mankind, become worthy to write the textbook of Christian Science, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," thus making it possible for the weary ones of earth to pierce the gloom of mortal darkness and behold the dawning day of spirituality? For this "Key" unlocks the Scriptures and reveals the treasures written there of God's promises to those who choose to do His will. Surely, turning to Him in every need is doing just that.

So we too may "glory in tribulations;" that is, instead of allowing discouragement and doubt to becloud the clarity of our mentality, and harboring the thought that our troubles seem particularly severe, thus shutting out harmony, we may joyfully put into practice the understanding we have gained, however small it may seem to be at the moment. Then, by knowing the truth, we shall triumph over the error; for good is always victorious when honestly applied.

How much we can lift of the heavy burden borne by mankind to-day, if we but faithfully do our part as taught in Christian Science! Let us replace in thought the belief of lack apparently existing in the world to-day, with the truth of Love's abundant supply of love instead of hate, with health instead of sickness, with honesty instead of dishonesty, with joy instead of sorrow, with true wisdom instead of selfish mortal planning, always reversing the evil by declaring the allness of God, good.

Regeneration is the individual purification of thought from a belief in a power opposed to Spirit, and the constant turning to Spirit even though the pall of materiality seem ever so black and enshrouding to our thought. Then let us be faithful in casting off "the works of darkness," finding joy in tribulation; for

"Thou art our strength, O Truth that maketh free!
We would unfailingly abide in Thee."

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