"He that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone." Christ Jesus, who spoke these words, realized and demonstrated completely his inseparability from God and His continuous guidance in everything that he did. When the seeker after Truth is contemplating a new course of action in any direction, it is needful for him to pray to the one Father-Mother God for wisdom and guidance that no mistake may be made; and a step once taken, he must remember that divine Mind, which led him forth, continues intelligently and lovingly to guide and protect him each day and every hour throughout the undertaking.

This demand was brought home to a student of Christian Science when, shortly after entering upon a new business connection, she found that progress appeared to be impossible. Trained ability received no recognition, nor was an adequate opportunity given for its exercise and expression. At first the student was sorely tempted to yield to discouragement and to seek another position, but she knew the folly of running away from an unsolved problem. Moreover, the conviction grew that since at the outset she had been led, through scientific demonstration, to make the connection, she must be more grateful for the truth revealed in Christian Science that whatever is divinely directed is also divinely established and protected.

Thought turned again and again to the statement of our beloved Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 233), "Progress is the law of God." Viewed in the light of spiritual understanding, it was seen that progress is mandatory—not something anxiously to be struggled into, but a law of spiritual existence always operating in behalf of harmony.

The withholding or the giving of personal approval of honest, enlightened efforts could not, then, influence either for ill or for good true progress and its manifestation in one's daily walk with God. Thus the student's thought was steadfastly turned away from the unreal testimony of personal opposition, in confidence that the same divine law which demands progress certainly opens the road all the way through unfolding experience to its realization.

The student also saw the need for the scientific recognition of herself as an individual citizen in the kingdom of God, where the only coworkers are His ideas, governed by divine Mind. In this active spiritual company the perfect ways for right action are always present and clearly indicated, while wisdom, initiative, talent, and ability have full opportunity of expression. When scientific demonstration of these truths of being is relied upon, spiritual qualities must inevitably command right recognition and recompense in each stage of unfoldment, since in every situation God, omniscience, reveals to all concerned whatever needs to be known to bring about the divine plan of progress for each beloved child of His care.

Reasoning along this line continued for a time without any outward change taking place. Then one day in a particularly trying moment there came one of those spiritual illuminations which Christian Scientists recognize as divine guidance. The message distinctly exposed the error, which claimed to be an instance of inaccurate and inadequate appraisal of an individual. It was seen that Mind's reflection—which in truth real selfhood is—cannot incur unfair, unjust, inaccurate, or inadequate appraisal or judgment, or bar true progress in glorifying God. It was seen also that the action of Principle is ever revealing those expanding abilities which are the real man's forever birthright, and ever providing the opportunity for their expression. With this spiritual enlightenment, all fear and doubt pertaining to the situation vanished from her consciousness.

Released from bondage to its self-imposed beliefs of limitation and anxiety, her thought became calm, confident, buoyant, expectant of good. It was a cause for rejoicing and gratitude that before the end of the day this mental freedom was rewarded by a definite improvement in the material situation. Opportunity hitherto withheld was given, and individual ability was soon proved and definitely recognized. In due course the student advanced naturally into broader, more interesting activities.

In any problem confronting mankind the scientific recognition that man is the offspring of God, the one infinite Father-Mother, Love, hence harmoniously governed by Principle, liberates the seeker after Truth from the erroneous suggestion that either person or circumstance can control or obstruct his onward, upward progress. To impersonalize the error and deal with the situation in this way enables him to perceive God's plan in a larger measure, and this perception admits into his experience the outward manifestation of harmony.

By accepting our Leader's statement (Science and Health, p. 6), "The talents He gives we must improve," as an imperative command, therefore possible of achievement now, the Christian Scientist can look up under all conditions and go forward without delay, certain that the proof of his spiritual understanding will bear fruitage in proportion to his honest, consistent realization of the truth. By recognizing God as the source of the only propelling force underlying progress Spiritward, and by steadfastly refusing to entertain any contrary or opposing beliefs that depression, oppression, or prejudice can retard the upward trend, one finds the door is open to experience progress and achievement spiritually, mentally, physically, and financially. Verily, "to those leaning on the sustaining infinite, to-day is big with blessings" (ibid., Pref., p. vii).