Are you frustrated by unsatisfied longings? Does the promise of each new day vanish, leaving you disappointed and empty?

This is just how a friend of mine had come to feel about her life. For years she had been burdened by a sense of rejection coupled with a deep hurt brought about by an unhappy childhood. Allowing herself to mull over continually the injustice of her early years, she became increasingly bitter and resentful. She was so immersed in the past that her personal relationships began to disintegrate, leaving her feeling distressed, depressed, and physically exhausted. Realizing her need for help, she visited a Christian Science practitioner.

After listening to the woman's story, the practitioner spoke to her about her birthright as the image and likeness of God. ^{See Gen. 1:27 .} The practitioner explained that as God's image she was the recipient of His love, which was pouring forth in abundance, and that she possessed the qualities of joy and peace, which could never be taken from her. Then the practitioner drew the woman's attention to the imperative command given by God to His creation in Genesis: "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion ...." ^{Gen. 1:28.} The woman began to understand that as the command was obeyed, the beliefs of frustration, dissatisfaction, and hurt would dissolve. Being obedient meant she should endeavor to express the Godlike qualities of her true nature, letting the fruits of the Spirit be manifest in her daily life.

Taking this idea, the woman returned home joyful at the prospect of exploring this new concept of her life's purpose. From then on she endeavored to follow God's command, letting His qualities be evidenced in her life.

Shortly after this she was filled with compassion for those whose actions she felt had caused her suffering during her childhood. Along with the compassion came forgiveness, and this change brought increased joy, harmony, and peace. The fruit of Love had become the very substance of her life, changing all that appeared to be wrong into harmony. The depression, frustration, and hurt disappeared, and the disintegrating relationships were restored.

A wonderful feeling of joy and an expectation of success permeated everything she did, and she was given more opportunities to use this increased understanding. She became more conscious of her abilities. Limitations began to fall away, and she gained the dominion promised in the Biblical command.

In this healing, specific qualities of God were recognized as inherent in man's being. These qualities, expressed, dissolved all discord, thus making way for more good. Compassion and forgiveness opened the way for divine Love, God, to be felt.

We can learn more of these healing qualities through a deeper understanding of God as Mind, Spirit, Soul, Life, Principle, Truth, and Love. Each of these synonyms for God highlights a specific aspect of His nature and essence. For example, Mind expresses itself in intelligence and wisdom, Truth in justice and harmony, Soul in beauty and purity, Principle in law and order, Life in activity and immortality, and Love in impartial affection and unchanging care.

Man, God's child, manifests these and other attributes, thus becoming a witness to God's nature. As we begin to realize these qualities in our daily lives, we obey God's command "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it."

To be fruitful in expressing the qualities of God is also to multiply them in human experience. As we love, there is more love; as we are joyous, there is more joy. As we give, there is always more to give, for the source of all good is the inexhaustible infinite Mind. Whatever expresses God unfolds forever. Mrs. Eddy writes in Science and Health, "Divine Love blesses its own ideas, and causes them to multiply,—to manifest His power." ^{Science and Health, p. 517.}

In the word "replenish" we see the completeness of God's command realized. The fruit, multiplied, accomplishes God's will —universal harmony.

What is it that appears to block this wonderful blessing? It is the earthbound concept of man as material, locked into servitude to material conditions, that would blind us to our true birthright. To achieve the healing, the woman mentioned earlier had to give up the view of herself that was based on mortal beginnings, injustice, and deprivation. This material, mortal concept of man was without foundation. Once she saw it as a lie, she began to recognize herself as God's image and to experience the blessing of the command.

The greatest exponent of this command was Christ Jesus, who expressed so fully the divine nature. When he fed the five thousand, good was multiplied through his love and compassion, bringing abundance and satisfaction, subduing the belief of limitation and lack. ^{Luke 9:12—17 .}

Throughout his teachings the Master constantly accentuated the importance of expressing Godlike qualities. For example, Peter asked him, "Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?" Jesus answered, "Until seventy times seven," and went on to tell the parable of the "unmerciful servant." ^{See Matt. 18:21—35.} In the parable a servant was freed from a huge debt when he appealed to the compassion and forgiveness of his king. The servant did not learn from this experience and demonstrate these qualities in his own life, however. Instead of forgiving a fellow servant a small debt, he had him unmercifully thrown into prison. This unloving behavior brought its own reward. The king, on hearing of it, ordered that the unforgiving servant be delivered to the tormentors until the original debt was paid. This parable teaches the importance of forgiveness, compassion, justice, mercy, patience, and love.

As God would not place any demand on us that we could not fulfill, it must be possible for us to realize our full potential through obedience to the Biblical command "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it."

This is God's blessing to us all.

The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand.

Deuteronomy 28:12