Is Self-abnegation On Your Radar?

Perhaps the very first rule in the everyday practice of Christian Science is self-abnegation. This may seem a bit old-fashioned. It's definitely not on the radar of many. But, shouldn't it be? 

Self-abnegation is synonymous with self-denial, self-sacrifice, the yielding and surrendering to something. This something for all Christians is God, divine Love. 

Yielding to divine Love means to put God first, to lay down all material elements of thought such as hatred, anger, self-justification, and certainly self-love, for a higher sense, -- God's spiritual sense. It means to surrender to Love's will, Love's guidance, -- not in a fatalistic sense that accepts evil and bad things, but in a spiritual sense that knows Love has only good in store for its creation. 

When were up against something hard we can use self-abnegation, prayer yielding to God, as a weapon in our battle. Mrs. Eddy, the Founder of Christian Science writes in her textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,  "Self-abnegation, by which we lay down all for Truth, or Christ, in our warfare against error, is a rule in Christian Science (568:30-32).

Of this rule, Mrs. Eddy also writes, "It begins with moments, and goes on with years; moments of surrender to God, of childlike trust and joyful adoption of good; moments of self-abnegation, self-consecration, heaven-born hope, and spiritual love (Mis. 15:13). 

This moment we each can begin to pray to surrender to Love's divine will, Love's good will for us. We can joyfully adopt self-consecration and spiritual love and put aside self-absorption and the lower love whose opposite is hate and revenge.  This will give us a holier, happier life. Letting our spiritual sense guide us, rather than the material senses, we can gain a clearer understanding of our true nature as God's perfect child. 

Self-abnegation, yielding and surrendering to God, is necessary to our happiness, the happiness of our families, our communities, and our world. It's necessary to our health. 

Teachers, politicians, pastors, students, citizens, stay-at-home parents, business executives -- everyone -- all have the divine opportunity to practice self-abnegation. And if this challenge is taken up and practiced, this rule in Christian Science, everyone will be blessed!

Let's do this. Let's step into these waters with expectation and uplifted thought. Mrs. Eddy councils us when she writes, "Strive for self-abnegation, justice, meekness, mercy, purity, love. Let your light reflect Light. Have no ambition, affection, nor aim apart from holiness. Forget not for a moment, that God is All-in-all — therefore, that in reality there is but one cause and effect (Mis. 154:27). 

Happy self-abnegating!