Satisfaction

It is not in the material senses, but in love and wisdom that we find spiritual satisfaction. We can say with David, “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.” To be satisfied we must be regenerated, sanctified, purified. The satisfaction of Spirit overcomes dissatisfaction and self-satisfaction. We cannot know the glory which awaits us until the spiritual senses unfold the light of Life. The gates of hell cannot prevail against the satisfaction of Soul.

We must not begin by thinking our case, our cross, our work, our difficulties, harder than those of our brethren; especially we must not feel that others’ advantages have been better than ours. If we begin our journey with such thoughts as these, the mountain of our hope will seem very far away, and the climbing toilsome. We should remember it is mortal mind that makes laws for itself, and self-laws can never interfere with our entrance into the realm of reality. Self-laws can never bind, blind, or divorce us from Spirit. The laws of Spirit are supreme and all-satisfying.

Selfishness is the root of self-satisfaction, dissatisfaction, self-ease, and self-laws. Through these errors mortals have become self-mesmerized and in slavery to an unreal master. There is no satisfaction outside of a knowledge of God.

Satisfaction can come to us only through the true teaching, healing, and preaching of Christian Science. Healing comes through the law of Love; teaching through the spirit of Christ; and preaching through the power of the Word scientifically understood. These three are one, and they renew and save mortals from the consciousness of material law.

Fetters flee when Life is understood; bondage goes when Truth has made us free; slavery is abolished when Love has cast it out. Life, Truth, and Love are the Principle, the Healer, Teacher, and Preacher,—the Comforter, the All-in-All.

Through a divine process the dead in human belief must be raised from slavery, fetters, bondage, and prison, into the liberty of the sons and daughters of God; then will satisfaction unfurl her banner and Truth will make us free.

“Give us this day our daily bread.” If we have a little peace one day; a little joy another; a little strength, power, wisdom, light, grace, and purity, others days,—we are having “this day our daily bread,” and growing towards a state of satisfaction.

Longing to be better will make us strive to be so; striving to be so strengthens our ability until the better side of life is found to be the only side, and we are transformed and renewed by the spirit of Love. Strength, power, grace, and peace will unfold the realities of Truth in our consciousness until dissatisfaction is swallowed up in satisfaction.

Pressing onward and upward, the dews of love, faith, and trust will refresh us with such spiritual light and beauty as will attract others to desire the better life. We cannot be happy unless we are making others happy. Doing for ourselves and families alone and leaving the other part of God’s family to suffer for want of our spiritual tenderness and light is a hindrance to growth. There is no self-happiness, self-health, nor self-comfort. Unselfishness is the realm of health, happiness, comfort, and light.

Unselfishness is the pearl of great price, and we must win and wear it. All the spiritual affections act through unselfishness, and spiritual affections clothe us with the seamless garment of satisfaction.

The desire for dress, society, food, drugs, travel, novels, fame, business, or some other fancy, pursues a person like a phantom and makes him think he is not ready to yield up his false desires for a higher idea. Human affections promise fulfilment of hopes, but, like moths, they eat the strength out of hope and the promise out of desire, until vigor is wasted and that which was hoped for and desired is like a faded flower. Ungratified hopes and desires drive us, like tired children, to the feet of divine Love. We must awaken from the deep sleep of vanity and delusion, and turn to the Lord our God, with all our might, soul, and strength, and pray without ceasing until we find in Spirit the true hope and desire gratified and satisfied.

Meekness never seeks for the high places, and humility is content with loving God and man. Sometimes the most brilliant light in the temple of Truth is a tiny jet in some far-off corner, doing its work with unmurmuring satisfaction.

Let us arm ourselves against all confusion and disorder, and fight the good fight of faith, knowing that selfishness and dissatisfaction can no longer pursue us, knowing that we can think no thoughts but heavenly thoughts, know no words but heavenly words, and be no longer children of darkness, but children of light.—no longer children of dissatisfaction, but children of satisfaction.