Truth Solves all Problems

In working out the problems of mortal experience it would sometimes seem that an error of long standing is more difficult to overcome than one of recent appearance, and with this belief comes the thought “too late.” Many a heart’s hope has gone down at this thought, and it is surely time to begin the destruction of such a depressing belief. It is never too late to do good, or to rise and be saved, if we take with us the Christ to the place where mortal belief says our dearest hope is buried. When Jesus raised Lazarus from the tomb he had already lain there four days: everything seemed to stand in the way of his resurrection, especially the sense of time. Martha said, “Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days,” although Jesus had said to her, “Thy brother shall rise again.” To her mourning sense of loss he did not say, Lazarus shall rise, but “Thy brother shall rise again.”

This spiritual lesson of the Master was not intended for the incident alone, but like all his acts and sayings its deep teaching unfolds to those who follow him to-day. Every belief in something separate from God is a stone to be rolled away from human consciousness, and the false sense of time, in connection with our work, is a great stone. Sometimes this is the first thing we should remove. To know that time has nothing to do with Life, that it neither weakens nor strengthens the power of Truth, — this hastens the healing, and the process becomes shorter.

Another stone that must be rolled away is the belief of a limited understanding. Error may whisper into thought: If some one else would do the work for me; I haven’t the understanding to bring out such results. This is almost like saying, I haven’t any God. It is a belief in a mind in matter, — an error which must be given up before we can rise to the true understanding of man’s divinely-bestowed capacity. Jesus said, “Take ye away the stone.” In the presence of Truth, we learn how to get rid of the stones of limitation, of feebleness, of a self apart from God, and we then rise to a truer, higher consciousness, which recognizes the Saviour in Mind, — omnipotence, omnipresence, — and which knows that this Mind governs our thinking, speaking, and acting. Thus we find self, limitation, and fear all gone; and we are lifted up above all the error that had seemed to exist. “When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.”

God can always show us a way to overcome error, even though to human sense it may seem impossible, and this is the best way, for we then recognize the Saviour, and give glory to God, knowing in whom we have believed. The impotent man at the pool of Bethesda was waiting for some one to put him into the water, but Christ Jesus came and commanded him to rise and walk. The gentle Master would not have thus commanded if he had not known that the man could obey, and we are many times required to rise and do our own work, because we must learn that we have the ability given us from God.

Every condition of mortal mind, every erroneous belief, is destroyed by the demands of Truth at some time and in some way. If error presents a personal enemy or a personal affront, we should always be ready to take the Christ there, and meet the conditions as we know the Master would have done. If we discover some hidden serpent of sin in our own consciousness, then is the time to take the Christ there, and to stifle the error before it can go abroad to harm others. The publican wail that smites its own breast, denies and casts out its own secret sins. This cry to be healed of sin leads to deliverance; Christ, Truth, enters, and so fills the room made for him that nothing else has any place. After a sin is destroyed we are not only saved from it, but we have more love, more patience, more purity, more spirituality than before.

There may be times when, after a peaceful, uplifting realization of divine Love, error tries us sorely, presenting a sense of hate, while all that had before been so lovely, now seems to be the exact opposite, — no sweetness anywhere, no joy, even the flowers are robbed of their beauty. In such experiences an earnest prayer to God will explain the reason of this. In Science and Health (page 564) we discover why greater faithfulness is demanded and further progress needed to ensure our safety. We must fearlessly meet the foe in ambush, and then rejoice in new victories. God will not forsake His children. He does not leave them to battle alone in the dark, but always shows them the way out of error when they turn to Him earnestly and cling to His omnipotent aid.