"Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there." This message from the Psalmist came to a student of Christian Science at what appeared to be a very dark hour: fear and discouragement seemed almost overwhelming. But after these verses from the one hundred and thirty-ninth Psalm had been pondered, the light of divine Love began to dispel the gloom of despair. For where, indeed, can one be that Love is not present? Not for an instant is one really outside of Love's protecting and sustaining influence. No child of God can wander away from His love and goodness. Even at the moment of apparent failure, Love is present to make of that human experience a blessing. In the midst of the deepest sorrow divine Love is at hand to comfort and strengthen.
When the so-called hardened sinner awakens from his error, he finds the outstretched arms of his Father-mother Love ready to uplift and guide. Did not Jesus say that after the prodigal son had learned from bitter experience the unhappiness and worthlessness of sinful living he was welcomed home by his father? The father did not chide and condemn him, but received him with joy and forgiveness. Had he not through suffering learned the lesson of that experience? The account in Luke reads: "And when he came to himself, he said, ... I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee. . . . And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him." As one mentally arises above whatsoever phase of sin or selfishness has claimed to hold one in bondage, it is found that all-conquering Love is present to save and to bless.
It matters not what the problem is, or how long one has seemed bound by it, there is a happy solution immediately at hand which will lift one higher in the understanding of Love's presence and power. Often by simply turning away from our seeming troubles and recalling God's care for us in past experiences, we open the door of our mental homes to angel-thoughts thoughts of peace and joy. There is no experience so dark, no problem so difficult, no pain so severe, no sorrow so deep, that we cannot find in memory something for which to be grateful. Our beloved Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, writes (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p.164), "What is gratitude but a powerful camera obscura, a thing focusing light where love, memory, and all within the human heart is present to manifest light." Surely, grateful thoughts bring light and harmony into the dark places of human experience. Through gratitude we have a clearer sense of Love's ever-presence and omnipotence.
