Remove the leading error

April 28, 2020 | 39 comments

Sometimes patients will call for help with a long list of ailments they are struggling with and end their story with a statement like, “I have so many problems, I don’t even know where to begin.”

When hearing this type of dismay, I often reply, “Let’s start by removing the leading fear,” which is inspired by this statement by Mary Baker Eddy, which she wrote about mortal mind:

“Remove the leading error or governing fear of this lower so-called mind, and you remove the cause of all disease as well as the morbid or excited action of any organ” (Science and Health, p. 377).

It’s heartening to remember that we don’t have to heal all our moral ailments and shortcomings in order to have a single healing. Yes, in time, we will come face to face with these shortcomings and have opportunity to heal them. But it doesn’t have to happen all at the same time. As Eddy wrote, the quickest route to success is to remove the leading error or governing fear of the moment. That approach brings the greatest good the fastest.

So, if you’re facing a long list of troubles you’d like to see resolved, don’t get overwhelmed by that list. Reduce it down to bite-size chunks that you can handle. Look for the leading error or governing fear of the moment, and address that. You will see the biggest results the fastest that way. You can get to the rest later.

39 thoughts on “Remove the leading error”

  1. And as MBE says, the single “leading error” is usually fear .
    Our hymn No. 135:2
    says…

    I fear no tribulation,
    Since, whatsoe’er it be,
    It makes no separation
    Between my Lord and me:
    Since Thou, my God and Father,
    Dost claim me as Thine own,
    I richly shall inherit
    All good, from Thee alone.

  2. Mary Baker Eddy writes in “Miscellaneous Writings
    p. 181,”Mortals will lose their sense of mortality—disease, sickness, sin, and death—in the
    proportion that they gain the sense of man’s
    spiritual preexistence as God’s child.”

    We are always one with our Father/Mother.
    When we look in the mirror of God we see ourself
    reflected.

  3. This topic, this idea, these posts are “STERLING”. The clarity brought out is brilliant. Thank you all, Thank You, God !

  4. Thank you for this tremendously valuable post, Evan. What an important reminder! We deeply appreciate your highlighting this guidance from Mrs.Eddy.

  5. In an article in the C.S. Quarterly:
    Start with God
    Stay with God
    Stick with God
    Stand with God.
    Thank you, Evan, & Fellow Readers

  6. This is VERY interesting. I didn’t even bother to think of the approach to multiple problems being dealt with in a step-by-step fashion. Love your SpiritView website Evan.

    1. Thanks for the link! He doesn’t touch on this much, but it’s important to differentiate between human intuition and spiritual intuition. Spiritual intuition is angel thoughts from God, while human intuition isn’t. That’s why it’s so important to keep praying, to keep thought clear and focused on God – to be able to tell the difference!

      1. Ellen,
        Thank you for bringing that point out!
        MBE says “It is not mine but Thine they seek.” Misc 348:7

  7. Thanks for the great article Kirsten. These references are terrific enhancements to Evan’s articles.

    1. Hi Noble, I asked myself the same question when I awoke very early this morning before getting up. But just “fear” in general seemed to broad to be the “leading error.” After I got up and studied this week’s lesson, I reread the blog post and then I was able to identify a more specific fear in things that I am currently working on. That felt more helpful, more like the “leading error” I could then address.

  8. Woke up this morning feeling fearful. Knowing I needed to lift my self out of this state I read this weeks lesson, Everlasting Punishment, then am rereading S & H and currently in Creation.
    As thought began to focus on the lessons, mortal mind was instructed to yield ground to the Immortal Mind which becomes dominate as Truth takes over governing thoughts and actions.
    Thus the above was in consciousness and I knew the path to peace and harmony.
    Fear gradually left me alone. Too many
    Thank you ALL, for staying with us this morning and sharing your healing work.

  9. Thank you Evan for this healing message and all the inspiring comments! Also, thank you Kirsten for sharing the articles. I found them very helpful!

  10. WOW! this blog today is greater than my words can express. Kirsten, both of those articles are outsanding, but the first directly addressed my need today and I have shared it also. My deepest gratitude to all.

  11. Thank you for supporting articles Kristen.. we
    Don’t ask for trouble but it does sometimes
    Accumulate. Thanks Evan for a way to tackle
    Today’s challenges. Always helpful.

  12. Evan I so needed this today. And Kirsten thank you for the links. I get a great deal from all of you in your comments.

  13. Thank you very much Evan, for this SpiritView. It is so needed and very helpful! Yes it is right to reduce it (the demonstration-list) down to bite-size chunks to make it easier. Whereby, could anybody explain me what that expression means, please?
    Of course it is right to start with the most important need for healing. But sometimes two things at the same time are equally important to be healed. But I would say, when we are praying for healing, our all-knowing God is with us doing the right healing neccessary.
    Am so grateful for SpiritView and for all your inspiring comments dear SpiritView friend’s!

  14. It is easy to come up with a whole list of “trouble” to the material thought, but are we not one body we, no separation, all harmonious and complete?. “A spiritual idea has not one element of error”. If I turn my thought away from the material body, I am able to get glimpses of all is well. Thank you to all the SpiritView friends and of course to Evan Mehlenbacher to tackle those questions we all have. Thanks for the inspiration.

  15. This is for Uta: think of a big piece of cake on your plate. You don’t try to cram it all in your mouth at once, but just take small pieces at a time, thus bite size chunks. Metaphysically, you just go one step at a time, not trying to prove dominion over every single challenge you might be facing All at once.

  16. LOL, I’ve certainly been there, and, frankly, still am working on dumping the “list mentality”! From my study and also through working with my practitioner (who told me to NOT make a list), I’ve realized that, surprise, fear IS an issue to be faced (as a lie, illusion, distraction). So I spent some time going through the Bible and S&H making a good list (versus a bad list of so-called problems) of all the references to God’s dominion over fear. There is a LOT: printed out 18 pages of references. Now that is part of my daily study and prayer. Thanks Evan for bringing up the issue!

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