Finding our God-given strength
I was sobbing. I had just run out of gas while taking my toddler to preschool. Trudging to the filling station with a gas can, I realized I wasn’t really crying about a gasless car, but that my tears were the result of feeling completely overwhelmed in general. I had just begun a doctoral program at a very competitive university and felt in over my head.
After getting gas and dropping my daughter off at her school, I called a friend for prayerful support. She encouraged me to “demonstrate my strength.”
That seemed like a tall order, but I knew she was right: I could do this. I’d been seeing myself as a limited mortal, dependent on what seemed to be limited resources. But this concept of my identity wasn’t my true selfhood. Each of us is God’s strong, intelligent, capable, spiritual offspring, sustained by God’s unlimited resources.
Mary Baker Eddy, a follower of Jesus and the discoverer of Christian Science, writes, “God gives you His spiritual ideas, and in turn, they give you daily supplies” (“Miscellaneous Writings 1883-1896,” p. 307). Turning to God brings the inspiration we need to overcome challenges of any kind. For instance, prayer can help us realize that God is always present, even if fear would try to paralyze us and keep us from moving forward. God’s love and goodness enable us to conquer fear and demonstrate the strength that is ours as the reflection of God’s strength.
The Bible counsels, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalms 46:10). When we pause to listen, we hear God’s loving messages of comfort, encouragement, and guidance – the still, small voice of God (see I Kings 19:12) that quiets the clamoring of fear and doubt.
That’s what happened to me. Through prayer, I began to really feel that God is the source of my intelligence and ability, and that I could trust God to reveal the answers I needed in any challenging situation. As my confidence in my ability to turn to God increased, so did my strength to fulfill my roles as a mother and student.
For instance, in a very competitive academic setting, I learned that I could turn to God to find and follow my own God-ordained path, rather than comparing myself to other students and their accomplishments. My goal was to glorify God, who loves and nurtures each of us. Loving my fellow students eliminated my fear of measuring up and freed me to move forward.
The culminating experience came during the oral defense of my doctoral dissertation. The week before the exam, I prayed deeply to overcome fear, based on the understanding that fear does not have its source in God, and so it wasn’t truly a part of me as God’s offspring, or expression. This led me to feel a deep peace as I considered and prepared for the questions that might come up. Entering the exam room and answering the questions posed by the examiners, I felt confident and poised. Several people commented on the calm I expressed during the exam, which I passed.
We each have what it takes to demonstrate the strength God expresses in each of us. As Mrs. Eddy writes, “Step by step will those who trust Him find that ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble’” (“Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” p. 444).
Some more great ideas! To hear a podcast discussion about the enduring value and relevance of Mary Baker Eddy’s discovery of Christian Science, please click through to the latest edition of Sentinel Watch on www.JSH-Online.com titled “Mary Baker Eddy’s ideas – empowering women and men, in business and life.” There is no paywall for this podcast.
