Sometimes the pressures of life seem overwhelming, whether because of an unhappy relationship, sickness, poverty, no job, or because of too much work. It is tempting to feel that an easing may come by just moving somewhere else or by making small concessions to the materialistic demands of the hour.
But such actions in themselves bring no permanent respite and no genuine solution. Why? Because they ignore the basic fact—God's allness.
A difficult situation may comprise layers of fears, waverings, doubts, and incredulity. However, notwithstanding all this, underneath every false belief lies the unchangeable fact that God, Love, is All and that Love is in total, harmonious control. Nothing whatsoever can nullify, frustrate, or inhibit this glorious fact. From this it follows that we, as the expression of divine Love, reflect and enjoy Love's control and authority. In fact, we are really in command of the situation; we exercise Love's dominion; and there is never any reason why we should be pushed around or bullied.
Christ Jesus gave us an interesting example of this imperturbability when the adulterous woman was brought to him by hostile scribes and Pharisees (see John 8:3–11). They had laid a clever trap for him. He could be brought before the Roman authorities if his reaction could be presented as inciting the Jews to kill. Or he could be out of favor with religious Jews if he appeared to condone her sin. Adultery meant death, according to the Mosaic law.
These harsh measures were clearly contrary to Jesus' compassion and Christian teaching. To others, he might have seemed to be in a hopeless dilemma: whichever way he moved, there apparently was trouble. But the Master did not allow himself to be perplexed or buffeted. He first refrained from any response whatever. He just "stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not." John 8:6; We do not know what he wrote or even if he wrote words. The act may have touched their conscience; or it may have been symbolic of his unwillingness to be a formal witness against the woman. Then, when the accusers persisted, Jesus stood up and with one short, telling sentence annihilated the opposition; his opponents went away one by one, and he was free to have his exalting and compassionate conversation with the woman, conveniently and alone.
This incident happened almost two thousand years ago; but has its spiritual significance lessened or changed since then? Not in the least! We benefit today from Mrs. Eddy's discovery that the laws on which Christ Jesus based his teaching and healing work are just as operative now as they were then. Indeed, we can humbly emulate his composure and calmness; nothing has any power to stop us.
Suppose we find ourselves in a jam, with (as often arises) a time factor thrust into the picture, insisting that we must either reach a solution by some arbitrary deadline or face dire consequences. Frequently such a deadline seems terrifyingly or even impossibly near. What can we do?
One thing we can do is to ask ourselves: What has it all to do with God, who alone makes the atmosphere of the real universe and establishes the spiritual, unlimited condition of our true consciousness and being? Much as the sun ceaselessly pours forth light and heat and energy to maintain the solar system, so the divine Mind continues to unfold its ideas in endless variety and grandeur. Nothing can stop it.
We, God's children, in our true being, inevitably reflect the effortless serenity of Love as well as other divine qualities. Indeed, our knowledge of divine Love gives us understanding, authority, tranquillity—all we need to be in command of any situation without being hustled or stampeded. Mrs. Eddy writes: "Maintain the facts of Christian Science,—that Spirit is God, and therefore cannot be sick; that what is termed matter cannot be sick; that all causation is Mind, acting through spiritual law. Then hold your ground with the unshaken understanding of Truth and Love, and you will win." Science and Health, p. 417;
Standing firm and unbudging in this way, we will find that we have an impenetrable suit of spiritual armor and what Paul calls "the shield of faith, wherewith [we] shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." Eph. 6:16. We are able to move on from a merely defensive position. In the knowledge of God's utter supremacy, we are inspired to go forward to greater spiritual achievements. Then not only will we heal ourselves of mistaken beliefs and the consequences arising from them, but we will in our progress help others and contribute in some degree to stabilizing and elevating our environment and community.
Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only. ...
Whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty,
and continueth therein, he being not a
forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work,
this man shall be blessed in his deed.
James 1:22, 25
