Have you ever had a Jonah moment? A moment when you were asked to do something you really, really didn’t want to tackle? So much so that, like Jonah in the Bible, you would prefer to get on a ship and sail in the opposite direction? While such resistance might not land one in a “whale” of trouble, it would at least forfeit the blessings that obeying the call of divine Mind and Love would bring. Here is my “I don’t want to do this” moment.

After I’d lived in our house for over 45 years with the carpeting, curtains, painting, etc. largely unchanged, it was obvious that a renewal was in order. Now, some people would enjoy the task. But not me! I had too many other items on my agenda that I’d rather do. But this really needed to be faced. The carpets were worn and threadbare, the paint dirty and dingy, the kitchen cabinets scratched and worn, but my resistance to change was huge.

Some of the arguments for ignoring the demand for a newer, cleaner, and better expression of beauty and harmony included:

• I know what carpet I want, and it’s not made any more.
• Suppose I make a mistake and get 1,400 square feet of carpet I don’t like?
• I have no idea how to rescue the kitchen, and I don’t want to paint the nice wood cabinets.
• The whole thing can’t be done, and I don’t want to try!
• Won’t this all just contribute to pollution and diminished resources?

Notice how many of those arguments have I in them! To me, that was a good clue to consider what God was saying. So I affirmed that divine, intelligent Mind was giving me intelligent and beautiful ideas. Mistakes are impossible to God. Soul is the source of all beauty and harmony. The outcome of an infinite God, good, would have to be lovely.

Did I really believe that? Was I ready to trust God’s guidance? Mary Baker Eddy wrote in Rudimental Divine Science, “You must feel and know that God alone governs man; . . .” (p. 10). It took some time before I was ready to trust God’s guidance and “leave the old for the new” (Science and Health, p. 324). But how to proceed? What to do next?

In Science and Health I found more inspiring ideas: “Spirit, God, gathers unformed thoughts into their proper channels, and unfolds these thoughts . . .” (p. 506). “. . . in every hour, divine Love supplies all good” (p. 494). “To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, to-day is big with blessings” (p. vii). These blessings I felt would be not “stuff,” but the lessening of resistance to proceed, and giving up fears of mistakes, failures, inharmony. This would bring a fresh perspective of God’s ongoing goodness and care in my life. What I wanted most was expressed in this hymn: “O Life that maketh all things new, / The blooming earth, the thoughts of men . . .” (Samuel Longfellow, Christian Science Hymnal, Hymn No. 218). Yes, I realized, it was thought that needed a renewal. This project could happen, go smoothly, and have no mistakes. So with my fears much diminished, my resistance gone, and a feeling that Mind, Love, would guide me, here is what happened.

I was in the store one day and happened to glance at some carpets when an eager salesperson appeared. “Are you interested in some carpet? We can send a salesman over with a whole truck full of samples.” My response: “Oh, no. I’m just looking.” The salesman persisted. “Unfortunately our representative can’t come for three weeks.” “Oh,” I said. “I don’t have to think about it for three weeks? OK, here’s my address.”

And sure enough, three weeks passed and here came the salesman. He didn’t have just what I wanted, but as he was leaving, he noticed that my cabinets needed refinishing. “Can I give your number to friends of mine who do this work?” “Sure,” I said, and not five minutes after he left I got their call. Twenty minutes later they came over and showed me what they could do. Two days later the cabinets looked like new!

During that same week, I saw a carpet I liked. My salesman was able to order it, and a week later it was installed. And I loved it. How easy and harmonious was that! And one of the workers was able to do some handyman work that I was unable to do myself. And to my surprise the washing, fixing, and painting were so much fun that I actually enjoyed doing it.

All the workers were so wonderful, hardworking, and skilled. They gave great attention to detail, and delivered more than I had contracted for. I felt very blessed to have this opportunity to meet them. Yes, I am delighted with the results, but truly the feeling of being in the presence and care of divine Love was the greatest of all. I hope the next time I feel impelled to do something, I can accept the challenge with more grace and trust. Why would I let “my” plans obscure the wonderful blessings that have been prepared for me by divine Love?