It has been said that Atlas never could have carried the world had he fixed his thought on the size of it. So, likewise, the secret of spiritual success lies in having only the spiritual goal before us, permitting no fear or doubt to find lodgment in our thought and being positive in the consciousness of the power and wisdom of infinite Mind. Success comes as the result of perseverance in unwavering confidence in the continuity of the co-operation of omnipotent Mind with man, and in man's ability to accomplish good by virtue of this co-operation. The achievements of evil do not constitute success, although this supposition is one of the world's fallacies.
This statement as to the co-operation of divine wisdom with man must not lead to the false premise that man has any power apart from God. While the rays of light radiating from the sun are not the sun, they have no existence or power apart from the sun; and so also is man wholly dependent upon the wisdom and power which he reflects. One's business affairs are never so well managed as when he knows that his business is governed by the one Mind. His body reflects better health when he forgets it entirely. Its organs perform their rightful functions harmoniously and his muscles and sinews are most supple and strong when he sees himself not as flesh and blood, but as God's image and likeness — "in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength."
If all sincere seekers after Truth would thus identify man with God, we should see materiality yielding to Spirit and the growth of Christian Science would far exceed our expectations, because of its ability to give to the spiritually-minded man and woman that dominion over the earth which is man's rightful heritage. Right thought on this line is in full accord with the divine law of progression. God never made the supposed elements of failure which men have erroneously believed can combine to prevent their success. God never intended that men should be failures; He made man in His own image, after His own likeness, and gave him dominion over all the earth. If God does not present the supposed occasion or condition of failure, we need not fear it, and what we do not fear cannot possibly harm us. If man is God's image and likeness, then he cannot reflect poverty, for he reflects the divine riches and plenty.
