Why is it that at times we may not experience the Christianly scientific healing we expect? Possibly the answer lies in the degree of our yielding to the positive fact of God's all-power. Unless we yield totally to God—have absolute reliance on Him—we may fall short of permanent healing.
Complete reliance on God, divine Mind, means more than just not resorting to material aids. It also requires purging ourselves of deep-rooted theories and old wives' tales, of subtle suggestions of heredity and environment.
How can we achieve total yielding? During a visit to IJsselmeer in The Netherlands I saw a dike that had been built separating what had been the Zuider Zee from the North Sea, thus creating a lake into which the river IJssel poured its sweet waters. Now what was once salt water has become almost completely fresh.
It occurred to me that a mental barrier can be built, shutting out wrong thoughts; but this is not enough. Having built the barrier we should then be open to fresh spiritual truths until every vestige of sediment, or wrong concept implanted by education, is eliminated. Build a barrier of spiritual truth against error, and yield to the power of the Almighty! Admit only the one consciousness, the one Mind—divine Mind!
This is not an easy course to follow. It means constant watching and persistent refusal to admit unspiritual thoughts. It means giving up superstitions and mortal beliefs we may have been accustomed to since childhood, such as inherited bad temper or a history of ill health. These subconscious thoughts are like the salt to be eliminated from the lake. We can displace them by yielding to God, by listening for His Word and letting it flow into our consciousness. Christ Jesus said, "He that is of God heareth God's words." John 8:47; If we listen unreservedly to God, the "pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God" Rev. 22:1; will fill our yielding thought with good, with all that is holy and healing.
Our Leader, Mrs. Eddy, begins her definition of "river": "Channel of thought." Science and Health, p. 593; If, then, we yield to the river of Truth and let it flow into our consciousness, we will acknowledge God, good, and deny error, or belief in intelligent matter.
Let resistance be resistance to wrong thinking and let yielding be yielding to good. Follow the biblical advice: "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7;
Total submission to God enables us to realize that there is only the one Mind. Mrs. Eddy says, "All that really exists is the divine Mind and its idea, and in this Mind the entire being is found harmonious and eternal." She continues, "The straight and narrow way is to see and acknowledge this fact, yield to this power, and follow the leadings of truth." Science and Health, p. 151.
By perceiving and admitting the truths of Christian Science, we accept healing. And then do we yield? Do we follow? God will tell us how if we let Him.
Be quiet and listen to God. Then, yielding to and following the leadings of truth, you will find healing.
