"To rejoice evermore" and "in everything give thanks" is, from the human point of view, a well-nigh impossible undertaking. Mortal man is sometimes heard to say that if he had no more to contend with than do most of his acquaintances, it would be a comparatively easy matter for him to rejoice and give thanks. But as he considers the work that is required of him, he finds that the obstacles in his pathway are so numerous, the burdens he is called upon to bear are so heavy, the various temptations, even duties perhaps, calling him from the strait and narrow way are so manifold, that he is more inclined to dispute the assertion that it is possible to love God and keep His commandments, than he is to find ways and means of overcoming the things that retard his progress.
In the affairs of this world every man desires to succeed, but all are not willing to pay the cost of success. The successful man in any line of human activity is not the one who encounters no obstacles and meets with no disappointments, but the one who perseveres until he overcomes everything that stands between him and success. He is never heard to argue against success, but always in favor of it. He never wastes time and energy in considering the reasons why a thing cannot be done, but if he believes the thing is possible and worthy of accomplishment his whole effort and endeavor is to find a way to do it. The successful man's thought is never a house divided against itself. There is unity of thought and purpose, and faithful systematic labor continues until the desired result is attained.
If history has recorded that which is true in human experience, we find that the most worthy undertakings have encountered the greatest opposition, and the achievements which have resulted in the greatest good to humanity have been accomplished only by persons of great courage and strength of character. A lesser degree of strength and courage could not have continued faithful in the face of opposition, but would have given up in despair when perhaps success was almost attained. Only those who endure unto the end reap the reward of their labors.
It may be that there are few who earnestly seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. If the desire for moral and spiritual attainment is not so great as the desire for wordly success, it is because it is not valued so highly or considered so necessary to one's present well-being. However, it is a question whether there can be found even one mortal who does not wish he could render a more favorable verdict when he sits in judgment upon himself. In many cases the desire for good is not strong enough to arouse any great effort and consequently it brings forth but little fruit. The children of this world respect and love the good man and they too would do better if it did not require so much of an effort. If there were no temptations and no trials, no sacrifices required and no disappointments to be endured, all would rejoice to be numbered among the great and good men and women of earth. But the measure of success that crowns each earthly life is proportionate only to that honest, conscientious endeavor which is equal to the overcoming of those things which tend to discourage and retard one's progress heavenward. Success, here as elsewhere, is not attained because there is nothing to prevent success, but because all obstacles, however many or great, that stood in the way have been overcome.
Neither by example nor by precept did the Master teach that the religion he came to establish would spare men the necessity of working out their salvation. The purpose of his mission was to teach others how to do their work, not to show them how to avoid doing it. His teachings were emphatic and they are applicable to all the affairs of daily life. On one occasion he said to his disciples, and speaking to them he spake to all his followers throughout the ages, "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." The way out of the wilderness is not always easy to travel. It is ever strait and narrow: but having found the way, the earnest, honest seeker may be assured that if he continues therein, turning neither to the right hand nor to the left, it will lead him out of the wilderness into the land of promise where discords are unknown.
The apostle James, in his loving and reassuring epistle to the faithful followers of the Master, wrote. "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations." Even in the hour of trial and temptation the only thing worthy of consideration is the joy and satisfaction of right doing. When we stop to consider that much of the opposition of evil is encountered because of right doing, there is occasion for rejoicing when one is tempted and tried, for does not the opposition of error show that one is going in the opposite direction? The man who is drifting with the current does not realize the force and power thereof, but the one who is headed up stream realizes what it means to pull against the waters which are rushing on to the sea.
There is then reason to rejoice when one realizes the opposition of that which would retard his progress or cause him to drift in the opposite direction. When one's eyes are opened and he is awake to the necessity of overcoming that which is detrimental to his highest interests he is certainly better off than when he was unconscious of that which needs to be overcome, even though this awakening does mean labor and sacrifice for a time. Until a man sees what needs to be done and is willing to do it there is little hope of success.
There are two errors standing in the way of spiritual progress and attainment and these errors must be overcome by all who desire to succeed. First is the belief of pleasure, profit, or gain in wrong-doing. The subtle suggestion to indulge certain phases of this false belief is what is generally understood by the word temptation. Another error is the unwillingness or reluctance to comply with the demands of Truth. The one means activity in evil, the other means inactivity in good. Mortals hesitate to take the forward step and they turn longingly to that which they know should be given up. In these ways all men are tempted and tested. To succeed in either case is to demonstrate the power of Truth over error and good over evil. Concerning those who yield not to the suggestions of evil and do not fail to meet the requirements of Truth, the apostle wrote, "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him." To be tempted is no sin and argues nothing against one's fidelity and progress. The sin is in yielding to the temptation,—accepting the suggestions of error as true and acting accordingly. Yielding to sin robs man of the consciousness of the ever-presence and omnipotence of good, but the enduring of temptation gives increased power and strength.
To many it may seem that more is required of them than of others, and the temptations and trials to which they are subjected are harder to endure. Of all men it was written, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man." Even the Nazarene "was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him." The life of the Master bears faithful testimony that man is not left helpless and alone in the hour of temptation and trial. The sweet promise, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee," is ever fulfilled to those who trust God and rely upon Him at all times Speaking from the richness of his own experience, Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."
What God requires, man is able to perform. Of himselt man can do nothing, but his "sufficiency is of God". To whom "much is given, of him shall be much required," and if he endures the test his reward is great. The spiritually minded man is engaged in a warfare with the highest forms of evil. He cannot be tempted to commit what the world calls the greatest crimes, but he sees the necessity of overcoming those subtle suggestions of error which are so completely deceiving the masses that many do that which is wrong believing it to be right.
That quickened sense of Truth which enables one to detect the more subtle suggestions of error is proof of progress, and it shows that the problems of life are being solved in the right way. Since all are opposed in their upward journey by the mortal and material sense of things, whence arises all discord, is it not occasion for rejoicing when the suggestions of error are seen in their true light? Sooner or later every one must prove the unreality of all that is not of God, but even the good man has no inclination or desire to overcome the evil which he does not recognize as evil. If the suggestion of error is not recognized as such, he yields to temptation without realizing that he has been tempted. In such a case he cannot receive the reward of one who endures or overcomes temptation.
Human belief may draw the line between ignorant and intentional wrong-doing, but human belief has no power to make evil good or good evil. Spiritual growth and discernment separate the real from the unreal, and thus make it possible to destroy the errors of sense which rob humanity of health and harmony. Even to recognize that one is tempted indicates growth, and if the temptation is endured, or resisted, the consciousness of good grows stronger and the power to resist evil is increased. A totally depraved mortal, if such were possible, would never be conscious of being tempted; but when a mortal gains some sense of good, in a corresponding degree he knows when he is tempted to do wrong. As he puts off the old man with his deeds his temptations become both more and less. More because spiritual growth uncovers the error which before was hidden by reason of its subtlety, and less because evil resisted in the right way loses even its seeming of reality. To illustrate: There are thousands who have been so completely healed through Christian Science of the liquor habit that there is no longer even the slightest desire to indulge that which at one time seemed to be the source of so much enjoyment. There are, however, many other temptations to be resisted by these persons, for they have but begun to solve the great problem of being and there is much evil to be overcome.
The Christian Scientist is learning that he must work if he would succeed. To murmur or complain is useless. Whatever must be done, must be done, and Christian Science teaches how to do life's work aright. The Christian Scientist early learns to value his experiences and he treasures the lessons they teach him. Instead of complaining he rejoices, for he is beginning to realize how true are the words of our Leader, "Every trial of our faith in God makes us stronger"(Science and Health, p. 410). Is it not true that every temptation is a testing of one's faith in God? Is it not also true that every evil overcome means a larger and truer sense of good? How can one grow in the consciousness of good unless he does good? and how can he do good unless he overcomes that which would cause him to do evil? and how can he resist error if he does not see that it is error?
The apostle James was emphatic in his declaration that man is not tempted of God. Evil suggestions would lead him astray or cause him to turn a deaf ear to the voice of Truth calling him to come up higher. There are those who believe that because man gains much by overcoming evil, the evil is sent by God, or at least permitted by Him, that man may thereby receive a blessing. One is not blessed because he wrestles with evil but because he draws nearer to God. The sense of evil separates men from God, and this sense must be and is overcome as they draw nearer to the fount and source of all good. One is not a musician because he has studied faithfully and devoted months and years to practice. He is a musician because he understands music and is able to produce musical harmony. True, his study and practice overcame for him the limitations of sense which deprived him of that which he so much desired; it enabled, or made it possible for him to understand music, and it is this understanding which makes him a musician.
So it is that man is blessed only as he come into harmony with the divine Principle of his being. The discords of sense awaken a desire to escape the bondage of mortal belief and the sufferer turns naturally to good as the only available help. It is the unerring, eternal law of infinite good that man is blessed when, and only when, he comes into harmony with good. The law of God changes not, neither is it ever a respecter of persons. All men are rewarded according to the same law of justice and mercy. Christian Science makes plain to human comprehension the truth about God and man and teaches how this truth can be applied in the destruction of error and its effects, sin and sickness. As a result of this teaching unnumbered thousands are to-day intelligently at work overcoming evil with good and receiving the reward of those who endure unto the end. They are learning to take unto themselves the whole armor of God, that they may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
