I’ve learned a lot about not letting up your effort until you win from playing tennis.
Last winter, in a local tennis tournament, I was ahead 5-1. One more game and I’d be the winner. Suddenly, my game fell apart. I lost game after game until my opponent pulled ahead and won 7-5.
I asked myself “Why?” How could I go from doing so well to losing so quickly?
I’ve watched my performance in other games since then and have come to a simple conclusion. I lose when I should win, because I let up on my game. Thinking victory is right around the corner, I relax a bit, and that tidbit of letting my guard down is the difference between winning and losing.
I’ve noticed the difference in thought that leads to winning versus losing can be miniscule. It can be barely noticeable. But a little itsy-bitsy less alertness, a smidgen less awareness, a tad less readiness can result in a miss-hit that otherwise might have won the match.
The same rule works in metaphysics. We must never let our guard down in prayer until the victory is cinched.
Mortal mind would act like an opponent on the other side of the net who keeps playing, and vigorously so, until the game is done. If we relax mid-game and assume a victory when we have not earned it yet, the opponent may pull ahead and take advantage of our dullness and laxness. Don’t let it happen. Stay alert. Stay at your best. Stay at your peak performance until the deciding point has been played out and the final game is finished.
“Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.” (I Cor 9:24).
I am glad you are ok from the car crash. In the article “Don’t Let Up until you win” I wanted to say that I read it and basically agree with your assessment especially about not letting your guard down even for a short period. However, is mortal mind always the opponent? When do we know when victory is achieved?
John Stapleton
John,
Moral mind is a term used in Christian Science to sum up all that opposes good, like fear, hatred, envy, malice, disease, etc. So, if you’re struggling with a problem that builds a case for evil, you could say in general terms that you’re struggling with mortal mind.
In spiritual reality, there is no mortal mind, only the divine Mind. But we need to understand this to be true to prove it true in the human experience.
You know victory is achieved when the problem is resolved with a healing solution and there is no longer a problem.
This thought of don’t let up with our prayers for a second is really helping me. It’s a wonderful soundbite that feeds me and encourages me to do better.
Evan,
Thank you. This is were I am at today. Holding spiritually firm in my thought and being very prayerfully alert to the truth about God’s man on a longstanding issue. In the past I have let my mental guard down before the victory was
complete – resulting in – the problem now looking “larger
than life”. I now have been forced into the corner of having to “stay at my peak performance until the deciding point has been played out and final game is finished.” I will let you know when I win!
To above,
Even when you feel wedged into a corner, God is there with you showing a way out. God is too big to get stuck in a tight-spot, and so are you as His expression!