Emerge gently from matter into Spirit.
~ Mary Baker Eddy, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 485
I was listening to an individual list excuses for slow progress in their demonstration of spiritual truth. She quoted the above, “Emerge gently from matter into Spirit,” to justify meager results.
I agreed with her, that “Yes, we can’t force a demonstration of spiritual truth through will power, brute force or blind will. We need to stay humble and listen to healing truth coming from divine Mind that moves us down the path of spiritual healing in a way that brings good results. The transition from matter to Spirit can be smooth and gentle,” I agreed.
And then I added, “But gentle doesn’t mean slow!”
It was an Aha moment for her. “Gentle is good, slow is not,” she exclaimed.
She suddenly brightened with renewed hope and confidence in her ability to make faster progress. And she did from then on!
It’s a lesson for all of us. Emerge gently, but not slowly.
What a helpful hint! Thank you very much, Evan
A very good point! A flower can pop open in a very short time, but the process is still what could be called gentle Mortal mind is always looking for ways to justify a lack of progress …
Thanks Evan!
I love that Evan! What a simple, insightful idea. Jesus sure didn’t heal slowly. He expected healing to be immediate. Thank you, Evan. And thanks to David and Maggie for your contributions too. Very helpful. Now you’ve got me thinking about what are my expectations–is it that time will heal as I learn more about God or is it that goodness and wholeness are here right now!
That is very helpful, Evan. thank you.
The following verse from a hymn came to me:-
Whether we build for centuries hence / Or let tomorrow bound our aim, / God sets the pace. Always the same, / With instant and eternal grace, / God sets the pace.
(Christian Science Hymnal, No. 591:4)
Mra. Eddy also says “”Expectation speeds our progress”
So helpful!!! Thank you Evan ❣️
wonderful. I also was deceived by the suggestion that gentle means slow. How ridiculous! Thank you for the clarification.
Everpresence means ALL NOW . Not in a time frame of measurement but eternal good, Spirit, ever present NOW.
I LIKE that! Thank you both!!
As I emerge GENTLY … I express
Gratitude | Enlightenment | Newness | Tolerance | Longevity | Yielding
Mark, I just wanted to thank you for sharing your GENTLY with us all. I teach SS and this looks like a very good idea
Wonderful ! I’m so happy… not slow!
I used to teach swimming and I was a lifeguard. When it was time for me to get out of the pool or to help the students get out of the pool or to watch adults emerge from the water, the ideal was to do so safely, smoothly, and wisely, but most importantly to do so effectively— to actually get out of the water. They could get out of the water any number of ways that were safe and efficient and effective . I prefer they get out of the water on their own without me having to pull them out.
It would’ve been a real strain and pain and dangerous for them to emerge extremely slowly. When they are in the deep end, and they put their two hands on the side of the pool deck and kick down against the water to push their body up to the surface, and push down on their hands to lift their body out of the water and onto the deck, if they try to do it very slowly they would not have the strength or the momentum to continue. Trying to emerge slowly would injure them, and it would distract me from watching all the other people in the pool. It would waste time and energy and take away from the joy of swimming and effectiveness with the next activity.
When God impels us upward and out of something, our job is to promptly and fully obey. God gives us the propulsion and momentum and we better not hold back and make it harder on ourselves and distract others from their jobs.
Edie, I love. this example.
Especially “God gives us the propulsion and momentum”–we need to act how and when God guides us and in that we can feel God with us for the desired result.
Thank you all for this reminder of patience and gentleness. Like nature,
which teaches us so much, we learn step by step, sometimes, like a
plant emerges from the soil (materiality) and persistently works it’s way
reaching for the sunlight (spirituality). The buds open with such gentleness
and the beauty shines through. It has always amazed me with perennials,
how they “know” when it is time for them to bud and bloom. Our Creator of
Life and Love/God’s Goodness is a truly marvelous teacher of patience,
persistence and emerging gently, like the butterfly above.
Of course sometimes healings are spontaneous. That is great, too!
This is wonderful…we can progress every moment. “ Take my moments and my days, Let therm flow in cease-less praise.” Hymn 324
“When I wasn’t healed right away” by Gabriela Mejia. From the April 29, 2024 issue of The Christian Science Sentinel:
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/2iakeh8yzkc?s=copylink
I am reminded of, “Just when the caterpillar thought it was the end of the
world, it became a butterfly”. When we Seem like all is hopeless and
like a caterpillar, plodding along … we can spread our wings and fly into
a more spiritual realm.
I love this fresh insight! Very helpful! Thank you Evan and to all who have added their comments I send my gratitude
Thank you Evan. a great reminder that I can’t “push” my way into heaven, for I’m already there. and Love is rolling the stones away that mortal mind insists are there and need to be handled before a change can take place. But, divine Mind is voicing truth of perfect being. “Hear, and your soul shall live” Isaiah 55:3