By Elaina Simpson, C.S.
Audio link
Published in the Christian Science Sentinel
The Bible tells us that God created us spiritually, in His own image and likeness (see Genesis 1:26, 27). In studying and practicing the teachings of Christian Science, we find that because we are spiritual, we naturally include the qualities of God, divine Spirit, such as inspiration, vitality, and life. Being completely dependent on Spirit, we are not, therefore, dependent on a stimulant for these qualities or for anything else.
One common stimulant is caffeine. Seventy-five percent of Americans drink coffee every week, and 67 percent drink coffee every day, according to the National Coffee Association. Caffeine is also found in tea as well as energy drinks, sodas, and even in many seltzers. It has addictive properties that can lead to dependence. Whether we are wanting to recognize energy as a quality of God rather than something that comes from a drink or are seeking to glorify God in all aspects of our lives, prayer leads us to helpful answers. While avoiding caffeine is not a prerequisite to studying Christian Science, students of this Science generally strive to rely on Spirit rather than matter, not only for energy but for every other need as well.
Instead of leaning on caffeine for energy and inspiration and then crashing, we can experience a continuous flow of good from God.
This fact played a part in my family finding Christian Science years ago when a neighbor came over with the book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. The neighbor, who knew very little about Christian Science herself, said to my great-grandmother, “Have you heard of these Christian Science people? Apparently they read this book and don’t drink coffee!” Both women decided they would not drink their usual coffee together but would begin a study of Christian Science, and this childlike willingness led to five generations of Christian Science study and healing in my family.
Because Christian Science is an individual practice, each of us will be led in prayer to know how to progressively live its teachings. But I’ve found that instead of leaning on caffeine for energy and inspiration and then crashing, we can experience a continuous flow of good from God. Because we are God’s expression, we include alertness and self-control, and we are satisfied.
When I was in high school, a friend of mine would bring me a coffee every morning to thank me for hosting her before school and sharing our bus ride together. I drank the coffee not for energy but simply because I liked the taste.
As time went on, though, every time I drove by a popular coffee shop, I felt drawn to go there, even though the money I earned from babysitting didn’t really allow for that kind of daily spending.
At first I didn’t notice that I had developed a dependency on coffee. But I had been raised in Christian Science, and after a while I started to realize that a dependency on something other than God was not good and was certainly not advancing my spiritual growth. I also noticed side effects from drinking the coffee.
A lot of rationalizations for not letting the habit go came to my thought, but eventually, my desire to prioritize my spiritual progress led me to drop the coffee habit and other caffeinated beverages as well. It felt so freeing. I loved to pray, “God, thank you for being my strength, my energy, my daily joy, my productivity, my inspiration.” In well over a decade, I’ve had no desire for caffeine at all.
God always leads us to what best promotes our spiritual growth. And having one God enables us to naturally let go of anything that doesn’t truly benefit us. In accord with Jesus’ words “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?” (Matthew 6:25), we don’t make a god out of what we take in. So we don’t make a god out of caffeine or any other substance by believing it has the power to control us. Glorifying God in all aspects of our lives is less about what we eat and drink and more about our motives. It’s less about what we are not doing and more about what we are doing. It’s not about depriving ourselves but about gaining in the joy that comes from looking to God for all good and finding our freedom.
Loving God and His benevolent control of our lives satisfies, invigorates, and blesses our experience as nothing else can.
Each day, as we strive to have one God, we will find that our increasing reliance on Spirit gives us far more than a drug ever could. In Science and Health, Mrs. Eddy writes, “A cup of coffee or tea is not the equal of truth, whether for the inspiration of a sermon or for the support of bodily endurance” (p. 80) and “Let us feel the divine energy of Spirit, bringing us into newness of life and recognizing no mortal nor material power as able to destroy” (p. 249).
But what if we still find it difficult to break free from the grip of addiction? Here again, Science and Health gives a helpful answer: “The depraved appetite for alcoholic drinks, tobacco, tea, coffee, opium, is destroyed only by Mind’s mastery of the body. This normal control is gained through divine strength and understanding” (p. 406).
Spiritually speaking, caffeine or any other material substance can neither help us nor hurt us. Consuming caffeine cannot deprive us of normal sleep at night, nor can a lack of it deprive us of our rightful alertness in the morning. It is Spirit, divine Mind, that is the master of our bodies and the source of all our strength and energy.
Even if we know this to be true, we must remain watchful. The thought “Caffeine doesn’t affect me, so I’m free to drink it” is, in a small way, like the suggestion that came to Jesus to prove he was the Son of God by throwing himself down from a pinnacle of the Temple. To that, Jesus replied, “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God” (Matthew 4:7).
Inspiration, rest, productivity, comfort, alertness, energy, and satisfaction are all qualities of God that we each include as God’s image and likeness. Knowing this, we reach less and less for what doesn’t serve us or help us see God as the continuous source of these qualities. We can be so grateful that loving God and His benevolent control of our lives satisfies, invigorates, and blesses our experience as nothing else can. Have a great day,
Elaina
______ For updates on future posts, you can subscribe here Read or listen to Science and Health online for free Purchase Science and Health
Comentarii