Freedom from Sense of Pressure

When I first came to Plainfield church, I thought pressure was a normal, natural part of life. I often did things out of a sense of pressure and I thought that was normal. I was finding that I would often make my worst mistakes when working out of a sense of pressure. I could complete things without inspiration and fall flat on my face.

One day a Christian Science practitioner in this church explained to me that this was not necessarily true. This practitioner had noticed and wanted to help me. She pointed out that Mary Baker Eddy writes, “A higher and more practical Christianity, demonstrating justice and meeting the needs of mortals in sickness and in health, stands at the door of this age, knocking for admission. Will you open or close the door upon this angel visitant, who cometh in the quiet of meekness, as he came of old to the patriarch at noonday?” (Science and Health, page 224) There is no pressure there. She also pointed out that the word “pressure” only appears once in our textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. Mrs. Eddy writes, “Christian Scientists must live under the constant pressure of the apostolic command to come out from the material world and be separate.” (S.&H. page 450)

This was a real eye opener for me. This was the only legitimate pressure. “The constant pressure of the apostolic command…,” a command directly from God to come out from the material beliefs of the world and be separate from them. This began a really important change for the better in my life. I began to realize that any other sense of pressure was human will and it was not legitimate. I did not have to accept it. I began to learn that whenever I felt a sense of pressure, whether it is pressure from someone close, or my own pre-conceived notion about what I should do, it is important to stop and ask God, “What do You want me to do?” I have found that, whenever I feel a sense of pressure, if it is right from God, He gives me the means and ways to do what He wants me to do. If it is not of God, He changes my circumstances so that I don’t have to do what I am feeling pressure to do.

This has made a huge difference in my life. I find that I do not accept so much pressure anymore except to get my thought back to God when it wanders and to keep listening for what He has for me to do. I find this very valuable, especially during the holiday season, when there seems to be a lot of human will and pressure which is not legitimate, and we do not need to accept it. In fact, we had better not accept it. I am very grateful for this lesson and help from the practitioner.