Periodic self-examination can be very helpful to our spiritual progress. Paul commended it when he wrote, "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" II Cor. 13:5;
Constant study of the Bible and Mrs. Eddy's writings, faithful attendance at church services, diligence in carrying out church duties, prayer of commitment to the deific Principle, Love, and daily promises to reflect the Mind which was so perfectly expressed by Christ Jesus are empty unless there is evidence that the divine nature actually is becoming more firmly established in our consciousness and in our lives. From time to time it is salutary to check and see to what extent our deeds are keeping in line with our words.
And it is just as important to ascertain from our self-examination that we are worthy of commendation as it is to discover that we are not—as beneficial to know that the Christly nature is becoming more apparent in us as it is to know that we are reprobate, condemned as unworthy. We should know where we stand in our progress toward expressing our God-given nature, whether we are gaining spiritually or falling short in a particular direction.
