Are you facing a major trial right now? Perhaps not in court, but in the workplace, at home, with other people, or with health fears? If so, I find it helpful to remember that every trial we face is an opportunity to learn something more about God.
God is our ultimate Savior from suffering. Understanding and demonstrating Life in Spirit is our Savior from suffering in matter, from trials of the material world.
Jesus Christ did not teach us how to be more comfortable in a material world. He taught us to leave the material world behind and find Life in Spirit, with God, in heaven.
Every trial Jesus faced was an opportunity for him to demonstrate his understanding of Life in Spirit, which he did. We can do the same.
Rather than fearing trials, let’s master them. They are an opportunity to understand the supremacy of God and the unreality of evil. When viewed rightly, trials make us better people, better thinkers, and drive us closer to understanding the ultimate reality of God’s allness where all suffering ceases, and trials are no more.
Only as we “take up the cross” do we find our own Christly self…. Our Godlikeness..
The purification of self is our progress..
People have noted the decline in church membership..Maybe there is a connection between dedication ( taking up the cross ) and church growth…
A good point, John – thank you. this came to my thought too, and I have been
praying to see through this suggestion and to see every Christian Scientist as having everything
they need to be in accord with what Christian Science is teaching us each day. That
everyone, including myself, has the God-given courage and ability to face up to the
aggressive suggestions of matter-based thinking, and seek the spiritual answers to
address them, and destroy them. This week’s Lesson is very inspiring in this respect.
Thank you Evan, as ever, for all the topics you post for us to think about and pray
about. And thank you everyone for all your contributions and articles.
Thanks.
Thanks
This reminds me of the day a practitioner said to me, ” When things don’t go as I hoped, I see it as an opportunity and I ask “Father, what have I to learn from this?”
Love this thought – thank you for sharing it Diane W.
This is such a wonderful article to read .
Thank you for sharing this .
This is such a wonderful article to read .
Greatful
Thank you so much. This is exactly what I needed this morning.
“The greatest wrong is but the supposititious opposite of the highest right.” Mary Baker Eddy
Thank you Maggie for making it clear to us that we all have God- given abilities to face whatever challenges that come our way. Thank you Evan for sharing this with us today. Thank you all. No trial can be above us because we learn that,” Trials are proofs of God’s care.” Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy 66:10-11
Thank you so much for these wonderful words. Beautiful and uplifting. I will keep them in mind as I go through the day.
The trials we face and overcome Are “proofs of God’s care”. I was thinking the same
thing, Grace, when I read Evan’s helpful message this morning and the inspiring comments that
go along with it. As I look back at all of the proofs that God has cared for me throughout
the years, I am so very grateful. What seemed like real challenges at the time, became stepping
stones to where I am today. Although it is quite a blur now, one example was when I was
going through a particularly challenging time. It was a pre-trial and the lawyer that had been
so helpful to me couldn’t make it and had sent a colleague in her place. I had to put my total
trust in God, as I had never even met him before that day and here he was going to represent
my case, which he did amazingly well. I kept holding to .. God “knows the angels that you need
and sends them to your side.” (from CS Hymn #9)…”To comfort, guard and guide”.
Thanks for wonderful lines :God “knows the angels that you need
and sends them to your side.” (from CS Hymn #9)…”To comfort, guard and guide”. Really great to apply daily every moment. Thanks once again.
Hi Carol, it’s interesting what you said about trials. There are two parts, the trials AND the overcoming. There is often some confusion when we say simply, as Mrs.Eddy said (S&H p.66), “Trials are proofs of God’s care.” It can sound as if a completely loving, caring Father-Mother God would intentionally send trouble or discord to His beloved child. But what you said makes a lot of sense to me. God, as we turn to Him humbly, gives us the inspiration, resources and help to rise and overcome any appearance of or belief in a trial. That is the proof of His care, it is in the overcoming and rising higher. Thank you.
Thank you, dear Rose for your very good and inspiring comment! I love what you stated! ♡
Thanks dear Uta, glad to hear that it was helpful. I always enjoy and appreciate the loving thoughts you share. All the best to you!
Yes, thanks dear Rose, I do trust God who gives us all the best, the Bible promisses us so much good and help coming from God!
“The truth about trials” by Judith Hardy Olson:
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/1ij56mtwwkg?s=copylink
Thank you J.
Wonderful article and I just love this;
“In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33)
Learning to embrace the challenges…to get into the trenches and fight to elevate the race. To have the purpose to make a difference, set a high bar, etcetera in your community. I have been thinking of this and how important it is to work to build community in places where you can see it is needed. I could hang out in an empty church or I can go to work building community like Jesus did. He was in the trenches where the challenges were making a difference. It is all about purpose.
Thank you Evan. Just in time and do much to think about. Thank you.
Thank you very much Evan for this helpful SpiritView! Every day you give us comfort and healing for which I’m so grateful!♡
How comforting this is, if I face a trial with other people or with health fears, that that is an opportunity to learn some more about God, who is our ultimate Savior from suffering! Isn’t that what we are longing for, to get more and more acquainted with our God, who is Love and our Life!? Surely it is!!!
In the article by Judith Hardy Olson she says that “trials are proofs of God’s care for us” wow is that loving! I see from this that God is us always near and loves us very much. I am so very grateful for Christian Science, the Science of Love, gorgeous!!!♡
Dear “J”, thanks a lot for the wonderful article “The Truth about trials” by J.H.Olson! It is very comforting and healing!♡
Today’s message of just what trials are and how we must hold on the the promises made to us by God and Jesus is just in time. I am the only C.S. in my immediate family and over the past year in particular there has been a very difficult marriage breakdown involving violence and police. I know that we are “in God’s pocket” and “nothing can beyond His omnipresence stray”. Although our family has seen many wonderful demonstrations of C.S. treatment over the years since I have been in C.S., when the crunch comes, it seems to land on fear filled consciousness. This is exactly when we must hold on and let God sort it all out. God, GOOD, is all that is going on.
There is no past, no future, only now and God is here with us and always has been and always will be. ‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.’ ‘It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.’
Dear Marjorie,
I have been pondering what you have written and your thoughts Are wonderful
metaphysical statements as Uta so rightly had written. When you wrote, “God, Good,
is all that is going on… There is no past, no future, only now and God is here with us and
always has been and always will be” … How True in God’s universe where all is Harmony.
The thought came from Science and Health pg.495, where Mrs. Eddy writes, “…cling
steadfastly to God and His idea. Allow nothing but His likeness to abide in your thought.
Let neither fear nor doubt overshadow your clear sense and calm trust, that the
recognition of life harmonious – as Life eternally is – can destroy any painful sense of, or
belief in, that which Life is not. Let Christian Science, instead of corporeal sense, support
your understanding of being, and this understanding will supplant error with Truth, replace mortality with immortality, and silence discord with harmony”.
To me, that means that God’s ever-present Love, like the love expressed always by Evan and
all of your CS family here (we are all children of God) – will comfort any fear that would
try to take over your clear thought that God has already “sort[ed] things out”, as you wrote.
You are So Loved by God and all of us here.
Wow Marjorie, thank you very very much for your wonderful metaphysical statements! You help me with this very much as I just needed these divine truths a lot!!♡
Evan, how helpful and healing your blessing SpiritView Blog is – thank you so much!♡
Thank you dear Monika, Rose and Uta, for your expanding on the angels and “proofs of
God’s care” thoughts. Very helpful and appreciated. And Thank you, dear J , for the supportive
article which also enlightened more upon this theme and Evan’s inspiring message, along with
the others…
I love in the article where Judith Olsen wrote, “Mrs. Eddy had written in Mis.Writings, “Yes,
my student, my Father is Your Father; and He helps us most when help is most needed, for
His the ever-present help”. (p. 157)
I also love from the article, where she writes, “Mrs. Eddy’s thought was always on the “How
great is God’s love right here with me,” side keeping her whole thought on the side of God’s
ever-presence, all-power and constant care- no matter how challenging any trial seemed –
brought her victories again and again”.
God’s Love IS always with us erasing any mortal history that would detract from that Love.
“Divine Love always has met and always will meet Every human need” – our dear leader,
Mrs. Eddy.
Hi dear Carol, thank you very much for your very helpful comment! The passages from J.H.Olson’s article are really healing. Today I need these very comforting spiritual ideas a lot. And am really grateful for all the healing comments ! ♡
This IS such a wonderful place to feel God’s comforting Spirit, Uta. I am so grateful for
Evan for giving us this platform to share ideas of Truth and Love with each other and to
broaden our understanding through this sharing.
Yes, it is very healing, Carol. Am also very happy with this great Blog of Evan!♡
Hymn 82 says ” God is working His purpose out
As year succeeds to year,
God is working his purpose out
And the time is drawing near:
Nearer and nearer draws the time,
The time that shall surely be,
When the earth shall be filled with the glory of God
As the waters cover the sea.”
Thank you so much for your support and feedback!
I feel like we are all swathed in divine Love!
“…so far above All mortal strife, Or cruel creed, or earthborn
taint: Fill us today With all thou art–be thou our saint, Our stay, alway.” Hymn 23. MBE.
I appreciate you all!