A reader, who is an accomplished musician, shared this thought with me:
An amateur practices until he can play it right whereas a professional practices until he can’t play it wrong.
I love this truth when considering the practice of Christian Science.
To practice Christian Science is to practice the laws of God which enable us to live in harmony with God, with Life, Truth and Love. The more we practice, the better we are putting those laws into practice. And we keep practicing until we can’t help but get it right every time. Thus, no more mistakes…
Thank you, Evan, for this inspiring article. As a new reader in my branch church, I was very anxious to get the reading right, no mistakes or mispronunciations at all. I was told by my fellow reader that it was possible to practice too much…that it wasn’t helpful to go over it so many times. I appreciated the advice, but still felt that I could not possibly practice enough for perfection. Then I began to apply what I had learned to date, that as a spiritual idea desiring only to be a clear transparency for God’s word, God made me capable of this. The lesson this past week reminding us that “desire is prayer” was and still is a helpful reminder of our true desire as readers…and actually the same holds true for the way we live our life. Thank you, Evan, for sharing your example with us, as practitioner, lecturer, teacher and here in your SpiritView posts. Much love to you and all here on SpiritView! <3
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WOW! Thanks much for the outlook for today. What a selling point for CS, no more mistakes! It is heavenly to rip through a musical number on the piano. I thank God for my hobby. Equally, I thank God for the chance to be honest . Honesty is a chip off the old block of Truth. Okay, I fib like most people do occasionally, but Christian Science gives me the chance to express myself as God’s reflection, which surpasses a hobby and now let’s me practice honesty AND piano until I can’t get it wrong. If Mrs. Eddy hadn’t come up with the seven synonyms for God where would we be?
realmente la práctica, unida a un deseo ferviente de conocer y comprender es lo que nos ayuda a entender la Verdad de quienes somos, practicar las enseñanzas de la Ciencia Cristiana, con humildad nos lleva a la realidad espiritual en que vivimos. Estar conscientes de que somos reflejo y que solo el bien es real, debe ser nuestra práctica diaria. Así seremos libres de toda atadura material.
It’s good to practice with the best teachers who have lived this truth with their lives! And of course they are found in our Pastor, so beautifully presented each week in the Lessson Sermons.
As a First Reader longing to do the best job possible, I found wonderful coaching in this resource:
https://www.analyticalreading.org
The meaning of well-known passages really comes alive!
Wow! Great advice. Thank you, Evan.
What a beautiful way of thinking about Christian Science! It is so easy to forget to study and instead just read the lesson. Thank you for this needed reminder.
I love today’s
SUPER TRUTH:
simple, straight to the point,
hits the mark every time.
Practice makes perfect!
I love these succinct truths.
Thank you Evan for honing the Truth right in for us❤️
Great inspiration and Thank you all! I love the idea of “SUPER TRUTH”, Jan.
Some may remember the old saying and funny, when a tourist asked for walking
directions in “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” (for those who might not know, is
where accomplished musicians played)….(answer was : ) .. “Practice!”. In our daily
life, practicing our thoughts in tuning in to the most God-like is what makes things
so much more pleasant and joyous. Each step in the right direction (practice)
helps us achieve these spiritual truths. Like in the resource you shared, thank you
diane w. a., we don’t present ingredients of a cake, rather than the finished product
when sharing, so practice in combining the ingredients of Truth helps to give a gift
of God’s Love, although understanding in our learning along the way is also helpful.
I LOVE this. Thank you, Evan! Simple clear Truth to keep us heading in the right direction.
Thank you Evan, and love all the comments. During the night the words “casting down imaginations” kept coming to thought. It’s from II Corinthians 10:5; “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” The part about “bringing EVERY thought to the obedience of Christ” has always seemed a bit daunting; but is relatable in the context of Evan’s topic today. It might also seem daunting for a musician to learn a new piece of music. But if the musician yields to the law of music and practices the piece by expressing discipline, intelligence, joy, love, expectation, etc., he/she will master the piece and the activity of playing it will not feel intimidating or fearsome. The same goes for bringing every thought to the obedience of Christ.
That is very practical advice. Thanks for it!
I love this analogy! Thank you, Evan. As an amateur musician I understand (to a degree) the time, effort, focus, concentration, attention to detail, daily discipline to practice that it takes to learn and master a piece of music. And those qualities of thought are what it takes to progress in studying and living the laws of divine Love that Jesus lived and proved and mrs Eddy revealed to us.
Came across this quote, which I thought can be tweaked or expanded a bit to
correspond with the topic of “practice until you can’t get it wrong”:
“People are just as wonderful as sunsets if you let them be. When I look at
a sunset, I don’t find myself saying, ‘Soften the orange a bit on the right hand
corner.’ I don’t try to control a sunset. I watch with awe as it unfolds”
– Carl Rogers
Isn’t practicing a bit like that.. reflecting the beauty and Soul of God’s
masterpiece or musical or artistic masterpiece…letting our expression from
within our heart shine with the loveliness of the piece itself? That is.. we are
all perfect as a sunset in Reality, but as we practice, we become more and
more adept at manifesting these innate qualities. When this Love and Soul
comes from the heart, we naturally reflect the Goodness we are striving to,
(practicing to), achieve.
Thank you very much Evan for today’s SpiritView! Although I know and understand the truth that man as God’s reflection is perfect and I admit it for us all, however, I just dare to say that I am working and praying to become a better christian scientist and healer, helping my brothers and sisters and me more and more. – Love to all, also to those friends who read this and do not comment! 🙂 –
I thank my divine Father-Mother God for his Love and constant guiding!
Uta you express yourself so kindly and lovingly, also in acknowledging the many readers of SV who do not often comment. Their presence and good thoughts are very important to this family. And I echo you in thanking my Father-Mother God for his continuing “Love and constant guiding.”
When I read Evan’s post and he mentioned “a reader” I was not sure if he was talking about a Reader in church or one of the readers of SpiritView (could be both). Either way we can all keep learning together and practicing the divine Laws of Life and Love.
Dear Rose, thank you very much. It’s so loving and true what you say!
Regarding the reader, Evan mentions in this SpiritView Blog, I am quite sure he means a reader of this Blog! Otherwise Evan would have said “a church reader” or so.
Would someone please translate Albis’ comment? Thank you.
Hi Sandy, this is Albis’ comment using Google translate: “Really, practice, together with a fervent desire to know and understand, is what helps us understand the Truth of who we are; practicing the teachings of Christian Science, with humility, takes us to the spiritual reality in which we live. Being aware that we are a reflection and that only good is real should be our daily practice. Thus we will be free from all material ties.”
Thank you, Evan. Blessings to all!
Wonderful reminder. Thank you, Even.! I want to add something else. Sometimes we are afraid to start, because we are afraid we wonʻt get it right the first time. We donʻt necessarily know how to pray perfectly. So letʻs just start to pray anyway, even if we feel a practitioner might do it better. Prayer, like any other activity, gets better with practice. And it feels good to do it.
we are all practitioners! so prayer doesn’t have to be any certain words but with understanding of course and there’s the KEY.. pray! u know enough God’s always listening to us pray we’re all practitioners you’re your own it’s easier to help others yes I will admit that and sometimes you need to call another practitioner and ask him or her for help so God is able he’s right there right now talk to him like I’m talking to you, love you guys