Taking out the garbage

No one likes to do it. Sometimes the weather is awful outside, and the odor from the kitchen nearly unbearable. But do it we must if we want to continue using the kitchen.

Garbage disposal has a metaphysical parallel, one really necessary to the well-being of everyone. It has to do with pitching out mental rubbish -- untruths we may be holding about ourselves and others.

You and I have a spiritual being, created and loved by God. It is our only real nature. In this nature there is no evil. One of the treasured messages of the Bible is that God is good, without an element of evil; therefore man, His expression, is completely free of what is valueless or impure.

What is the garbage, then? Basically, it's supposed opposition to God. "Evil" is the name that perhaps most aptly describes such opposition. The raw undesirables that occupy human thought -- hate, resentment, jealousy, lust, personal domination, anger -- easily qualify. Evil is opposed to God, for it is clearly not good. Because it is not God-created, it is not innate in man. It has no real life or strength or permanence. In her writings on Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy n1 recognizes evil, then promptly unrecognizes it. "Evil is not power," she writes. "It is a mockery of strength, which erelong betrays its weakness and falls, never to rise." n2

n1 Mrs. Eddy is the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science.

n2 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,m p. 192.

Three things are recognizable about mental garbage:

1. Though it often slips in with good thought, with God's help it is identifiable. We can tell a piece of trash when we see one.

2. Wrong thoughts do not belong to us; we don't generate them.

3. We can get rid of them completely and prevent their reappearance.

On that first point -- recognizability: If we are sincere in examining what we're thinking, we will be able more readily to identify the culprits. Mrs. Eddy urges, "Ofttimes examine yourselves, and see if there be found anywehre a deterrent of Truth and Love, and 'hold fast that which is good." n3 The more we love God, the less we will love His opposite.

n3 The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany,m pp. 128-129.

On the second point -- that such thinking doesn't belong to us: We can look to one of the terms for God implied in the Bible and cited by Mrs. Eddy -- divine Mind -- to help us understand why evil isn't ours. Divine Mind is the source of all real thought, and God's thoughts are good and purposeful. Therefore what belongs to man, to our true being, is also good and purposeful. Whatever is not is an illusion, a product of the false mortal mind in opposition to God. Flase thoughts can be eliminated through dedicated watchfulness and prayer; and true, Godlike thoughts can be welcomed in. "Ask, and it shall be given you," said Christ Jesus; "seek, and ye shall find." n4

n4 Matthew 7:7.

Good thoughts come from God. Others seemm to come from a false, evil mind, but they have no real origin. We are not thought-generators ourselves. But we do play host to thoughts, and it is our right to be fed by the stream of spiritual ideas from Him who loves us. It is also our obligation to turn away evil.

That's the third point -- we can dump evil thoughts, lock, stock, and barrel! And we have a marvelous tool to do this. It is called prayer.

Prayer is communication with God. It is vigorous, yet peaceful, mental activity -- seeing and reaffirming what God is doing for man. Prayer is powerful, for it helps unite us with God's ideas. Mrs. Eddy counseled students of Christian Science to be alert and to pray daily for themselves. "Watch," she says, "and pray daily that evil suggestions, in whatever guise, take no root in your thought nor bear fruit." n5

n5 Miscellany,m p. 128.

The Bible is full of the truth of God and man, and we can find that truth also in Mrs. Eddy's writings on christian Science. From such written word and from our own inspired insight, we can draw ammunition for our defense. Then we can step forward to the important task of dumping that garbage! DAILY BIBLE VERSE Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of god. John 4:1

You've read  of  free articles. Subscribe to continue.
QR Code to Taking out the garbage
Read this article in
https://www.csmonitor.com/1981/0908/090810.html
QR Code to Subscription page
Start your subscription today
https://www.csmonitor.com/subscribe