A Sunday School teacher I once had pointed out to his class the importance of giving God the credit for the unfoldment of good in our human affairs. I was making many demonstrations of the truths of Christian Science at the time, but my gratitude had not been the equivalent of those wonderful proofs. I realized then how surely each one of us is under the loving guidance of our Father-Mother God.
It was only through dependence upon this guidance that I was able to complete my first year of college. I began the year uncertain of myself and feeling desperately alone. My mother had passed on two years before that time; and just a month before I arrived on campus, my father passed on.
It was then that my desire to progress further in Christian Science was brought to the front as it became necessary for me to apply Science or give in to a prevailing sense of discouragement and lack of purpose.
It was pointed out to me that this was an opportunity to demonstrate my rightful, divine inheritance of peace and joy and purpose as a child of God. I began to know that God had not brought me that far only to leave me. I had to understand why I was where I was and that there is a purpose in every unfoldment of God's plan. I learned that we have the ability, in proportion to our obedience to God's law, to do what is expected of us with joy and confidence.
The fruits of my endeavors came slowly. But as my desire to understand more of God increased, the demonstrations followed accordingly. A deeper interest in everything around me brought many happy experiences.
When college closed, I proceeded to establish a home for myself where I had found employment for the summer, my older brother and I having sold our home. Through inquiries at the local Christian Science Reading Room, I found very harmonious living quarters. Through my expectation of good and more highly developed concept of home, which must first be established in consciousness and then realized in our human affairs, the way opened for a very happy summer.
I found much support from my study of Christian Science when I worked for sixty or more hours a week on two jobs. I knew that if my motives were correct, nothing could impede my progress in any way.
When I was informed later in the summer that a scholarship I had held the previous year had not been renewed because insufficient information had been supplied, another opportunity to demonstrate the omnipotence of God presented itself. Apparently my many changes of address had caused the loss of the letter which could have prevented the situation. The deadline established by the scholarship commission had expired many months before, and it had been stressed that no reconsiderations were made for scholarships not renewed due to insufficient information.
There momentarily came to me the thought of a limited supply of funds for my return to college, although three other scholarships of mine had been renewed. But because of the many proofs I had had that supply not only is provided, but provided in abundance, I reversed any limited thought. I knew that in the experience of each of God's children, supply is infinite, and there is no competition for it.
Soon I called the scholarship commission and explained the misunderstanding. I was told that up to that time there had been no exceptions to the deadline made, but in my case they would make an exception and reconsider my application. I filled out new papers, returned them, and in less than two weeks after the telephone conversation, I had received a confirmation of the renewal of my scholarship.
A further complication in regard to the scholarship was sorted out through Christian Science treatment after my return to college, and this whole experience demonstrated to me the omnipotence of Love to maintain all its ideas, and I have also had proved to me the fact that Love is never reversed. The lessons learned have strengthened me through the practical proof of the power of Christian Science.
I am grateful for this and many other proofs of the abundance of supply at times when it seemed nonexistent, for the love which God expresses to His children, and for the knowledge that "progress is the maturing conception of divine Love" (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany by Mrs. Eddy, p.181).— Elsah, Illinois.
