Christian Science teaches, and its practice proves, that God is not a person in the ordinarily accepted sense of the word, but is divine Principle, absolute and everlasting, and that the action of Principle is expressed in perpetual, infallible law. The operation of this law is never affected by time, place, or circumstance, or by anything that may be said or done by any human being. Mrs. Eddy writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 2), "God is not moved by the breath of praise to do more than He has already done, nor can the infinite do less than bestow all good, since He is unchanging wisdom and Love."
Now, since nothing can alter the operation of the law by which God is forever bestowing unbounded good upon His creation, since praise cannot influence Him to do more than He is already doing, then why are we admonished throughout the Bible and in all Christian teaching to praise God, to glorify Him, to sing songs of praise and gratitude? And why do Christian Scientists place so much importance upon the expression of gratitude in their Wednesday evening meetings? Undoubtedly, there must be some good purpose to be served in the exercise of these sentiments, even though they have no power to alter God's relationship to His creation. And we shall find that an examination of that purpose, together with a better understanding of the basis and nature of true praise and gratitude, will make the practice of these virtues more natural, more joyful, and even more effectual than ever before.
To quote again from our Leader (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 208), "Mortals have only to submit to the law of God, come into sympathy with it, and to let His will be done." Experience proves that as we succeed in putting this rule into practice we attain and demonstrate an ever increasing freedom from the perplexing problems of human experience, from fear and strife, from poverty and pain; and in their stead successively enjoy a greater measure of joy, peace, happiness, and health— in a word, life more and more abundant. Naturally, whatever helps to bring us into sympathy with the law of God benefits us; and in accomplishing this it is easy to show that gratitude and praise are indeed effective agents. In other words, gratitude and praise, while unable to change the operation of God's law toward us, do much toward bringing us into harmony with it. Hence they are indispensable steps in our progress heavenward.
