Have you ever participated in a brag-fest as to “Who suffered the most?”
I remember hearing my dad say, when we children ever complained about having to exert ourselves, “When I was a kid, I had to walk 5 miles to school every day, each way, and in the snow!” My dad’s bragging about walking to school was quite harmless, but this type of one-upmanship can lead to undesirable results in other ways, if not caught.
For instance, people bragging about who suffered the most from health problems. They may revel in telling about how long they had to stay in the hospital, how much pain they endured, the extreme actions doctors had to take to save them, the dire predictions they dreaded, and so on. This rehearsal of trials and suffering may feel justified to mortal mind, but from a spiritual point of view, it is not innocent. It can set us up for more suffering in the future. After all, if we are that impressed with suffering from the past, what is to keep us from believing the same won’t be repeated in the future?
Our experience goes wherever thought takes it. If you want to stay healthy, never agree with pain, suffering and disease as your reality—either in the past or in the present.
Any suffering is a mortal dream, an error of belief about God’s man that seems real to the dreamer when dreamt but is never real about us in the Mind of God. As Jesus taught, “Know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). The truth that keeps us free includes the reality that we are creations of God made of the substance of Spirit, and we can no more suffer as a child of God, then Spirit can suffer.
Suffering is an illusion of mortal mind, not a reality of divine Mind, and it is to be dropped, not clung to.
A temptation to argue for suffering can take other subtle forms, like conversations in our head about how we suffered in the past and how heroic we were to save ourselves from dire consequences. Yes, it is right to conquer all evil with good, and to rejoice in the victory. But the victory to claim is not how much suffering we endured. It’s the omnipresence and omnipotence of God we demonstrated.
After the resurrection, Jesus didn’t brag about what he endured and overcame. He didn’t talk about how painful the nails were in his hand, how thirsty he got while hanging from the cross, and how cold the tomb was while he laid there for 3 days. He focused on the Life of God that he wanted others to discover for themselves and to be healed by.
As a child of God, you have never suffered. You have always been spiritual. You were never diseased, distraught, lacking, forlorn, forsaken, left out, in pain, or on the edge of death. You have always been alive and well with God, in Spirit, living your eternal spiritual life. And you always will be!
So, if you’re looking for something to talk-up with your friends, focus on the freedom you have because of God’s love and care you know and understand. This type of conversation leads to good results.
So grateful for this posting today, which alerts us to this situation, which I guess we have all encountered. A good reminder not to be drawn in.
Wow! Tremendous post. Thank you Evan.
Thank you Evan for such an important reminder. With no history there are no tombstones to raise up memorials/scars when a.m. rehearses its sorry story. Sometimes these tales are what my Mother laughingly referred to as “delicious animal magnetism” …it can seem tempting to be identified with the mortal persona/mask, but so unreal.
Just so inspiring!!! Thank you!
Wonderful! Thank you!
(Paragraph 7) “It’s the omnipresence and omnipotence of God we demonstrated” jumped right off the page for me! Found myself mentally going through the victories with gratitude all while rejoicing in the firm, yet calm presence and power of God always ready to assist us with any challenge.
Hymn 123 then came to thought (How firm a foundation).. Enjoy paragraph 2:
Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God, I will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand.
Upheld by My gracious, omnipotent hand;
A wonderful way to start the day by acknowledging the calm and firm presence and power of God available to us all! Grateful!
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Pssstttt, help me to learn how to change the subject, when the conversation(s) in a public/shared space take this tone, please….I want to tell a joke or just not speak at all, and these actions get me in trouble if others misperceive/belive that I am uncaring or unconcerned. These instances are no longer times at work at a job, but while out and about, or exercising with a class and instructor.
Yes, I’d like to develop that skill as well if anyone has suggestions!
Sometimes it is fun to get others to turn around their sadness to joy while offering them a different prospective. I once worked in a bakery and a man came in with whole list of bad news being spread around town – a house had a fire, a family was without clothes and household items, the list went on and on. I offered comfort while saying – let’s look for the good. I know God takes care of us all every time. The good in the story was – the whole family got out of the house in time, they were all together and the children were completely safe and happy as the family dog was able to get out of the house as well. Loving friends and community were providing food, clothes and friendship. People were coming together. God was there and continually providing for his dear children as He always does. I will never forget the look on the man’s face who walked into the bakery, He was stunned! When he finally spoke, he said, “Gee, I never thought of it THAT way! ” The whole topic became much lighter in the bakery. Sadness was turned into joy and gratitude. I continue to look for the good as it is always present! Always much to be grateful for as God does not disappoint.
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What a wonderful “save” that was at the bakery! While volunteering summers at a National Recreation Area out west we ran into the conversations of “ills” around campfires, in the Visitor Center and at the duplex in the Volunteer living area. Since we had room we often hosted potlucks, domino and game nights. We determined not to let this gathering become error’s playground, so we laid down some ground rules to the 20 or more volunteers we worked with. Rule #1: No Organ Recitals! That was it! They all laughed, but complied, and everyone was blessed! Many summers were truly enjoyed by all who were entertained by the good expressed and the absence of tireless “organ recitals”.
Brilliant Ellen, that’s a keeper. Light, causing laughter, point on.
Thank you.
Thanks Ellen – good concepts to remember when the “pressure” is on – “no organ recital” and “error’s playground.”
A wonderful reminder to practice the biblical injunction: “Rejoice not in iniquity, but rejoice in the truth”!
Thank you Evan. You nailed this topic!
I agree with you, Dave – Evan totally nailed it! And I love the possible responses provided.by other readers of the blog.
Thank you Evan for your excellent reminders like this to avoid accepting false beliefs and pointing out the many beliefs and actions that are false. I really love the way you do that so effectively!!! I’ve made the mistake of joining in to discussions like the one you warn us about and suffered the negative consequences. I’ve also been alert and not joined in. And not joining in is so much better!
Thank you Evan. The temptation to talk up discords and physical problems can be so subtle sometimes, you’re not even aware you’re doing it. Sometimes, it comes in the guise of “humor”. Thank you helping to make me more alert.
From our Bible Lesson this week on Soul –
“Human sense may well marvel at discord, while, to a diviner sense, harmony is the real and discord the unreal.” Science and Health page 563
Excerpt From
August 13–19, 2018 — Soul
The Christian Science Publishing Society
This material may be protected by copyright.
While in a group of sympathizers, a woman friend complained of her
recent fall and started to give details. I suddenly said to her, “You are not
a fallen woman!” Startled, she laughed and so did the others and the subject changed.
Love the perception of Jesus after the resurrection, as well as “… if we are that impressed with suffering from the past, what is to keep us from believing the same won’t be repeated in the future?” Seeing from this that more thoroughly eradicating beliefs in a past mortal event is key to eliminating present fear in its possible future repetition. What never was can never be repeated.
Great reminder Evan, thank you. And thank you all, but in particular Jane for her story,
Wonderful alert, Evan. When I had my son, the practitioner warned me not to rehearse all the details of the experience. At the time, I didn’t understand his warning, but tried to be obedient. I appreciate this, now. “Delicious” AM is a new description, but appropriate. So enjoy the groups comments. Thanks to “y’all”
https://youtube.be/joZ_3sM-QZE
Evan Mehlenbacher, CSB… Lecture on “Readiness for Healing”
FANtastic, Evan.
We love you!
:<))
Yes dear Evan, we love you for all your so very much inspiring and healing lectures and for everything you do for us so lovingly!! Thanks a lot! !
But dear SpiritViewFan, your link to Evan’s lecture ”Readiness for Healimg” regrettably does not work at all. Would be happy if somebody could help with it.
Hi Uta, Please give this link a try.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joZ_3sM-QZE
oh thank you, Brian for your link.
It worked perfectly. I just noticed that all your links you sent us when I ask for help, worked wonderfully – thank you so much!
While I watched that so inspiring and lively lecture of Evan I was aware, that I watched this lecture already several times so as all the other online lectures of Evan, too. They are all equal wonderfully inspiring!
Thanks so much, Evan, for a very important subject brought to light in this blog. It inspired a lot of thoughtful comments and I am grateful to all! We need to constantly be aware not to join in and participate in any negative discussions while expressing only love and compassion.
Thank you Evan for this powerful post. “Patience must have Her perfect work”.
I also thank you very much for your today`s SpiritView, Evan!
With regard to this very important and powerful topic – as the two above dear commenters already said – there came to my mind the following passages by Mary Baker Eddy from Science and Health, page 197:
“A new name for an ailment affects people like a Parisian name for a novel garment. Every one hastens to get it. A minutely described disease costs many a man his earthly days of comfort. What a price for human knowledge. The less that is said of physical structure and laws, and the more that is thought and said about moral and spiritual law, the higher will be the standard of living …”
and further on that page:
“It was the ignorance of our forefathers in the departments of knowledge now broadcast in the earth, that made them hardier than our trained physiologists, more honest than our sleek politicians.”
And there is more to read in the chapter “Physiology”
Thank you Jane, for your heartwarming experience in the bakery!
I am so grateful that we can always get sufficient answers from the Bible and Science and Health and Mrs. Eddy`s other literature!
What a great article! Goes hand in hand with the article from the March 1920 Christian Science Journal titled “The Smell of Fire” by Louise Knight Wheatley. Exactly what I needed to hear. Thanks!
Thank you Bonnie for the reference to the article. I provided a link to the article below for our dear Uta and others to access.
https://journal.christianscience.com/shared/view/1iicjb544oe?s=e
thank you dear Bonnie for giving us this title, and
thank you dear Brian for another perfectly working link
am very happy that you sent us all this link of Louise Knight Wheatley`s wonderful article “The Smell of Fire”. Thank you so very much – with Love ! 🙂
Another blog and readers comments to read and enjoy and to think about. Thanks all.
Another blog and reader’s comments to read and enjoy and think about. Thanks all.
this spiritview reminds me of an article in the Sentinel in the 40’s . It was called “The Smell Of Fire”. When the three Hebrew boys came out of the fiery furnace they were not burned nor was there the smell of fire about them. It never happened.