This Original Life is Infinite. It is good. It is filled with peace. It is of the essence of purity. It is the ultimate of intelligence. It is power. It is Law. It is Life. It is in us. In that inner sanctuary of our own nature, hidden perhaps from objective gaze, “nestles the seed, perfection.”

In our ignorance of the truth, we have misused the highest power we possess. And so great is this power—so complete is our freedom in it, so absolute the domain of law through it—that the misuse of this power has brought upon us the very conditions from which we suffer. We are bound because we are first free; the power which appears to bind us is the only power in the universe which can free us. This is why Jesus summed up His whole philosophy in this simple statement: “It is done unto you as you believe.” The great Teacher looked so deeply into Nature, that She revealed Her fundamental simplicity to him. That “believe” and that “as” symbolize heaven and hell. And so we suffer, not because suffering is imposed upon us, but because we are ignorant of our true nature.

Spirit Works for Us by Working Through Us

The Thing, then, works for us by working through us and is us, always. It cannot work for us in any other way. It spreads Itself over the whole universe and shouts at us from every angle, but It can become power to us ONLY WHEN WE RECOGNIZE IT AS POWER.

We cannot recognize that It is, while we are believing that It is not. Hence, it is written: “they … entered not in because of unbelief.” (Heb. 4:6) We may enter in because of our belief, but we cannot enter while there is unbelief. Here we come to a house divided against itself. If we say we can only experience a little good, then we shall experience but a little good. But, if we say, with Emerson, “There is no great and no small to the soul that maketh all,” then we may experience a greater good because we have conceived it.

Therefore, our belief sets the limit to our demonstration of a Principle which, of Itself, is without limit. It is ready to fill everything, because It is Infinite. So, it is not a question of Its willingness, nor of Its ability. It is entirely a question of our own receptivity.

Holmes, Ernest (1998-08-24). The Science of Mind: The Definitive Edition (p. 37). Penguin Group. Kindle Edition.

Ernest Holmes, Founder of Religious Science and author of many books, including “The Science of Mind“

.Rio Grande Center For Spiritual Living, Albuquerque, NM 87107