When I was a child, I could not understand why Jacob refused to let the angel go after struggling with him all night. After becoming a student of Christian Science I found my answer. Just to be free of the struggle is not enough. I found that every challenge that comes has a definite blessing beyond the healing or freedom from the error. When I refused to let the struggle just cease, but held fast until I gained the blessing, the blessing came.
While I was employed as a cashier for a large restaurant, it was my responsibility to be sure that two safes were securely locked after I'd made the final deposit each evening. One night I felt especially grateful to be able to serve the company well. As I often did in the early hours of the morning driving home, I thought of what qualities of God I needed to express more fully in order to be a clearer reflection. Humility was the thought that persisted. Early the next morning I had a call from the restaurant saying there had been a robbery and asking if I had failed to lock one of the safes. I had. I remembered clearly that I had been distracted on my way to lock it. I admitted this fact to the management and later to the police.
During this time I found my peace by knowing that "all things work together for good to them that love God" (Rom. 8:28). I went to the manager and told him how sorry I was and that I was sure he would not want me to continue in his employ. He asked me how I intended to make restitution to the company for the stolen money. The bonding company was not responsible because the restaurant management was confident of my honesty. The fire and theft insurance was not applicable, because I had admitted to not locking the safe. A lawyer advised me that I had no legal responsibility to repay the money, only a moral responsibility. It was clear to me that I had to reimburse the company.
