Even if the eyes are not closing and the head is not nodding, we may be asleep in church. During my college days I had a difficult time staying awake in church; my eyes would glaze over, and my thought would drift. After the lively discussions in the Christian Science Sunday School, the experience of church seemed less interesting. I found it almost impossible to keep alert just sitting and listening to a Bible Lesson The Bible Lessons are found in the Christian Science Quarterly. I had already read several times that week.
I began to ask myself: "How can I get more out of church? How can I keep myself awake?"
In looking for answers, I found this passage in the Manual of The Mother Church by Mrs. Eddy, which challenged me to look more deeply into what was going on —and what was supposed to be going on —as I sat in church: "A Christian Scientist is not fatigued by prayer, by reading the Scriptures or the Christian Science textbook. Amusement or idleness is weariness. Truth and Love rest the weary and heavy laden." Man., Art. XVII, Sect. 1.
