Order is ours to demonstrate!
If we’re feeling discouraged or unable to do what’s needed, we can turn to the divine Principle, God, for inspiration and strength – as a woman experienced when she realized her ability to take tangible steps of progress following the passing of her husband.
I was going through a period of change in my home. My husband had recently passed on, and I was sorting through things and reorganizing the house to more closely meet my needs. Order seemed far from evident. And there was so much to do.
I encountered thoughts of discouragement, exhaustion, and procrastination: “It doesn’t really matter anymore.” “It’s too difficult to do that alone.” “I don’t know how to do that.” But I am grateful to say that through prayer I rose up and countered each of those thoughts.
There is an arresting statement in “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures” by Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer of Christian Science: “Life is eternal. We should find this out, and begin the demonstration thereof” (p. 246). “Life” is a Bible-based synonym for God. As children of God, divine Life, we’re made to express qualities such as joy and productivity, forever.
Another name for God in Christian Science is “Principle,” so I substituted it into the passage: “Principle is eternal. We should find this out, and begin the demonstration thereof.”
This brought new inspiration as various qualities of Principle came to thought, especially order. “Order is eternal. We should find this out, and begin the demonstration thereof.” Substitute away!
I realized that order doesn’t exist in a vacuum all by itself. It is supported by divine Principle, expressed in strength, energy, vitality, discipline, focus, patience, and many other Godlike qualities that we are created to reflect eternally. They all are functioning now, they are all supporting one another, they all work together. As Science and Health puts it, “The divine Science of man is woven into one web of consistency without seam or rent” (p. 242).
So as suggestions would try to creep into thought that I didn’t have the knowledge or strength to do what was needed, I would affirm that this was not truly my thinking. God is the divine Mind, the one true consciousness, and wouldn’t – couldn’t – bring up any objection to expressing order, patience, or capability. We express the energy of divine Life, and the purpose and vitality of Principle – constantly, continuously, and completely – because they are already ours. They have their source in the Principle, God, that we reflect. We have the God-given ability to resist, now and always, any mortal, material limitations.
Science and Health explains: “Christ is the true idea voicing good, the divine message from God to men speaking to the human consciousness” (p. 332). Listening for messages from Christ gave me the strength I needed to get the rooms reorganized, the paperwork and financial accounts sorted, and so on. In fact, in striving to obey, or demonstrate these truths, I became so productive on multiple fronts that I hardly recognized my old self. Even things that hadn’t gotten done in years were getting done.
To me this was in fulfillment of this guidance in Ephesians: “Put off concerning the former conversation the old man ... and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and ... put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (4:22-24).
This demonstration was about so much more than just getting through my to-do list. It has also carried over into my thought about everything. I am much less likely to get sidelined by mortal suggestions of discouragement. I feel a renewed readiness; awareness of the presence and power of God, good; and willingness to dig deep and search for fresh ideas.
The more we express God-impelled order, patience, capability, and vitality, the more we are expressing the eternal Principle. Each of us can seek a greater expression of certain qualities daily, asking, “How can I express joy, dominion, discipline, faithfulness, order better today?” It is an active, ongoing exercise in fulfilling Mrs. Eddy’s instruction to “begin the demonstration thereof.” In demonstrating divine qualities we find the peace and harmony of the eternal.