It is the duty of a Christian Scientist to remind himself frequently that difficulties are overcome in proportion to his keeping his thoughts in the light of ever-present perfection. What are the obstacles to our doing this? One is that we are liable to compare ourselves with fellow Scientists. Seeing others advance more quickly than we do, we may become discouraged, or observing some who are expressing an erroneous condition which does not trouble us, we may conclude that we are not doing so badly after all and thus become complacent and apathetic. What a mistake!
Our spiritual growth in Christian Science is not dependent on other people's advancement or lack of it. In the proportion that we manage to see our neighbor as God made him, perfect and spiritual, the material fetters which bind us will drop away. We are all individuals, and each one has to work out his own salvation in his own way, irrespective of what others do or do not do. Another's action, viewpoint, or state of understanding can neither further nor retard our spiritual progress. We have to deal with our own consciousness. In our own mentality and by our own effort the rejecting of false beliefs has to go on.
Our only model should be Christ Jesus. He tells us clearly that we have to follow in his footsteps, and to follow in his footsteps means to think, act, and live as he did, that is, to have the "mind of the Lord." So let us be watchful not to get downhearted because material evidence seems real to us. Instead, let us realize that every individual is in reality reflecting God's purity and perfection. Then the light of Truth will break through and brighten our path, and we shall be able to rejoice. How wonderful it is to prove that lifting our thought into the spiritual realm, where harmony reigns, transforms our surroundings.
