Greenhouse Gases- Friend or Foe?

Thirty people are riding in a truck down a dusty road in Central Africa when the fanbelt breaks. The truck is overheating and can’t run without the belt. There is no phone, and the nearest auto part store is 30 miles back down the dusty road. It seems that there is a big problem. What did they do in the situation? Sulk? Did they yell and scream? Did they find someone to blame? Nope, they cut up the seat belt and used it as a replacement for the fan belt so they could limp into the next major town. That is what I call resourcefulness and appreciation of what is on hand. This solution to the problem came when they identified the seat belt by its qualities.

This situation a friend of mine experienced in Africa demonstrated that many of the problems we face can be solved by thinking about them with a fresh outlook. Each person associates this inspiration from different sources. I believe that the divine Intelligence of the universe –God- is constantly offering fresh outlooks; we just need to listen and be receptive.

This fresh outlook from God is important when approaching a particular problem that seems to loom large over the news today, climate change and the predicted effects that it will have on the earth in the future. There seems to be a problem that there are too many by-products from past energy creation that are considered harmful or poisonous. Furthermore there appears to be a limited supply of energy that can be used without creating more byproduct. This perceived limited supply does not seem to represent a cycle that is balanced; instead it suggests that it is one that is very finite. This perception is heavily grounded on the basis of a purely physical inspection and does not take into account inspiration and divine guidance. However, if we approach the situation from a perspective of the unlimited nature of divine Intelligence, we discover that the blessings are infinite and there is no limit on the inspiration we have from God.

It is very possible that when we open our thoughts to a spiritual view of the issues, solutions which we did not think existed will become foreseeable. With the infinite nature of God and his blessings, there must be a solution available that not only makes the allegedly harmful byproducts harmless but also useful. In this way we will be able to enjoy the truly sustainable nature of God’s gifts.

For inspiration I like to turn to the Bible. In the first chapter of Genesis, we are told that God completed his “very good” work and on the 7^th day rested. His/Her heaven and earth was finished and was not a “starter kit” that could be ruined, it was a harmonious, perfect creation. In the same chapter we find that God gave man dominion over all the earth, not a limited power for certain individuals with money or natural resources but a practical law, that when applied properly brings health and wholeness into any situation.

If we start with the idea that all of God’s creation is good and already finished then nothing exists that can be harmful or even useless. Mary Baker Eddy expressed this view in part of her definition of earth, “A sphere; a type of eternity and immortality, which are likewise without beginning or end.” (p585) This limitless basis described in her definition can be used to help expand thinking past the potentially harmful nature of something into a more freeing view of its usefulness.

The current popular method of thinking, based on a love of a finite earth or fear for future lack will not move towards the glory of seeing God’s creation as He/She saw it on day seven of creation. It is always helpful to be able to see examples of God’s restoring law in action so that we can turn from fear towards solutions that bless all. In the following examples I find that a troubling situation is replaced by harmony and harm is replaced by health when glimpsing more of God’s creation.

One weekend, while serving in Peace Corps in Africa, I went on a long hike into the hills. As I progressed further and further away from my village, there were fewer water sources. I was prepared for this and had brought some tablets to purify water. The only water source I could find was near a small shack way up in the hills. There were goats walking in and around it so it was not the cleanest but it seemed my only option. Once I filled up my container, I found that the water treatment tablets were useless because the bottle’s cap had broken previously, exposing the tablets to air and ruining them. A day after the hike I was having difficulty retaining food, it seemed the impurity of the water was causing me physical difficulty. In two days, I was scheduled to go to a regional capitol for a conference where I would help teach students about gender equality. At this point I had a choice to make, whether to accept the idea that I was ill from drinking harmful water and possibly miss the activity or to prayerfully turn to God to find inspiration. I chose the second and prayed to realize that nothing God made could be harmful or poisonous, therefore I could claim my wholeness and well being. Not only was I quickly healed, but I regained my appetite and strength. I made it to the conference without problem and the inspiration I gained from this situation proved quite helpful. To me this healing proved that the presence of this divine inspiration, or Christ, can help demonstrate our God-given dominion in the face of challenges.

In the book of Second Kings in the Bible, it is told that the Prophet Elisha arrived in Gilgal which was experiencing a famine. He sent his servant to gather herbs and fruits for a soup for “the sons of the prophets” that gathered. When they tried the soup they tasted bitterness and this led them to believe that there was “death in the pot.” At this point it would have been easy to believe that even a simple mistake such as gathering the wrong plant could cause others to suffer. This seems very much the mentality of today’s thought about the environment. It seems in the years past, people, knowingly or unknowingly, have damaged the once perfect planet by poor handling of resources. Even worse is the guilt they might feel if they buy into the idea that one country’s careless actions have doomed another poorer country.

The prophet did not take this line of thinking. Instead he turned to God for inspiration, and he was led to cast meal or flour into the pot. And he then told his servant to pour out the soup for them to eat as there was no harm in the pot. The Matthew Poole Bible Commentary points out that meal could not have taken away the “hurtful” quality of the soup in such a short time but instead it was God’s blessing. I take it to mean that inspiration was cast into the pot, displacing the fear of a mistake. I am sure that they were all happy that no one was harmed by the alleged poison, and even more so that they were able to eat in the time of famine. I believe that the biggest blessing was that they got to see God’s law in action. This story demonstrates that the appreciation of the limitless harmless nature of God’s creation overturns the limited view.

I recently read about a group of people that were working to better appreciate our present resources. The group at University of California, San Diego demonstrated the ability to exploit sunlight to transform a greenhouse gas into a useful product (Science Daily, April 18,2007). The process is not optimized but points towards a solution. In some ways it is helpful to remember that no matter how big the problem, God is bigger. In the Christian Science Hymnal, hymn number 40 has a verse that is very comforting in expectantly looking forward. “Earth has no sorrow that Love cannot cure.” This clearly expresses that divine Love’s nature is to care, tend, and improve all things.

Through my prayers I feel I have benefited from a sense of balance between knowing God’s dominion and the current focus on conservation. A story from the 6^th Chapter of John in the Bible helped keep this in perspective. When Jesus fed the multitude with loaves and fishes that seemed to miraculously appear, afterwards he told his disciples to gather up what is left so none is lost. Obviously after multiplying fishes and loaves by magnitudes he must not have been worried about limitations of food, but more so it seems he appreciated the spiritual quality of that food which is unlimited in God’s creation. Jesus demonstrated that every morsel represents something greater than just a piece of food. That true gratitude would not only include abundance of supply but a deep appreciation of what is on hand. A quote from the chapter on marriage in Science and Health demonstrates this further “Said the peasant bride to her lover: ‘Two eat no more together than they eat separately.’ This is a hint that a wife ought not to court vulgar extravagance or stupid ease, because another supplies her wants.” (P58) I interpret this as guidance that even as we recognize that God can easily supply all our needs it is critical to be appreciative of everything down to a seed of grain.

One practical step I am now taking is reusing “disposable” plastic bags. I started with identifying the spiritual qualities of a plastic bag such as order, cleanliness, and simplicity. I realized that by reusing the bag, I could focus more on the infinite nature of those qualities and appreciate the utility of the bag on a spiritual level. I did not need to be guided by a sense of guilt or fear but a great appreciation, which made the process easier and to use a popular term, more sustainable. In conserving water, I work to recognize its activity as an expression of God’s qualities. Conserving electricity is less about fear of lack and more about appreciation of the intelligence of using less to meet my human needs.

I found it helpful to remember that these demonstrations of healing, whether in my experience or in the Bible, are not just about making a temporary fix for hunger/thirst or a temporary reprieve from material problems. Instead they are an opportunity to better understand the limitless nature of God’s creation.

This mentality of appreciation recently paid dividends, in a way that I could not have planned. I was out riding my bike and passed through a parking lot where I saw a sofa with a ripped cushion by a dumpster. I went and got my truck and took it back to my apartment. I realized at the time that I did not need the sofa and did not have a place to put it, but I took it home anyway. After having the sofa sit on my porch for a few days, I got my answer as to how the sofa – previously discarded – could be utilized the best. An apartment building in the city had caught on fire and almost 200 families were affected. I was able to donate the sofa to the organization helping the displaced families and it was warmly accepted. The sofa became valuable by looking past a ripped cushion into the usefulness it still expressed.

In each of these experiences the limited or harmful view of something was overturned and more of God’s creation was seen, as it was created, intact. As we begin to appreciate the lasting qualities of what is present in our experience, we can also appreciate, that while temporarily unseen, a solution exists for the situation facing this planet, and it is just a matter of listening for the inspiration that will guide us in practical healing ways. It might even lead us in the opposite direction of what we thought, like using the greenhouse gases to our advantage. As our understanding of our true dominion expands, we can overcome the fear of dire predictions and we can work to realize a true balanced cycle in which all are blessed.

Freedom from beliefs of contagion

One Saturday night I was studying the Bible selections which I would read in the Christian Science Church service the next morning. As First Reader, I and the Second Reader, would conduct the primary part of the service. While preparing for this activity, symptoms of a cold came over me very abruptly. At first I wondered about what could be the cause of this illness from a physical standpoint, but then I realized I did not want to find a material cause for a problem that I knew could be healed with spiritual prayer. I had experienced healing of different challenges by better understanding my oneness with God as taught in Christian Science, and knew this situation was no different.

The most pressing concern about these symptoms was the challenge they would impose upon me during the service the next day. I just prayed quietly for a while about how this activity of joining with others at the Sunday worship is God’s will and could not be interrupted by claims of illness.

I recognized these symptoms were based on a suggestion that there is something outside of me which can infect my well being and cause hardship. I challenged this claim with the idea that all God made is good and God made all (refer to Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy p 311: 4-6.) With that in mind, I knew I must be intact in God’s goodness and nothing can infect me, because there can be nothing harmful to me. A quote from the fourteenth chapter of the book of Romans confirms this “All things indeed are pure.” This verse is in reference to the idea that all things done in good conscience are pure, and it is only our thought which seems to make them less than pure.

As I continued to study the unfolding concepts of the Bible lesson, and confirm that it was right for me to be uninhibited by these symptoms, I noticed that all signs of a cold were completely gone before I went to bed. The service the next day went wonderfully and I feel I was blessed by being there.

This proved to be a helpful lesson for me in learning to trust God’s care. Also, I feel I gained a better understanding of the following statement about divine Science “ Science not only reveals the origin of all disease as mental, but it also declares that all disease is cured by divine Mind” (S&H p169.)

Guidance and Provision

I received a bill from an online directory service where I advertise as a part time Christian Science Practitioner. This is someone who offers to provide prayerful assistance for others with physical, emotional, financial, or relationship difficulty.

I had not received much interest from this advertisement and was wondering whether it was the best way to use my financial resources to offer help to others. In praying about this situation, I was thinking about the idea that all true guidance comes from God. This spiritual mentality helps protect my thought from fear and a sense of limitation. There is no way that God’s goodness and love can be less than all good and I needed to pray to realize that fact. I knew that offering help to others was a good thing and I should continue to pursue it. By listening to God’s guidance I would find the right steps. A verse from the Bible “God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him” (1 John 4:16) illustrated that trust instead of fear would allow me to be guided in the most harmonious way. I put the decision off for about a week.

The second billing notice came and I decided to be more receptive for an idea that would indicate the proper steps for me to follow. Later that morning I unexpectedly received payment from someone I had helped weeks before find a prayer based solution to a difficulty. It was the exact amount I needed to pay my bill. Also, the same day, I got a call from someone needing prayerful help who had found my ad from the online directory service. These gentle reminders of God’s care were just what I needed. I renewed my advertisement without hesitation. This experience reassured me that I could rely on God’s guidance and provision.

Divine Love reveals the Truth- April 2007

“Promise is most given when least is said” is a quote from George Chapman’s poem Hero and Leander. I take from this to mean that human promises are only as good as the actions of the person offering them. This would imply that there is no greater governing force or sense of guidance than one’s own conscience.

The Bible describes a correcting and guiding God in the 23^rd chapter of Psalms, one that comforts us with His rod and staff. A supreme Being governing each of His/Her children is such a joyous concept.

Recently, a friend of mine had done something to break a promise made to me. At first it was not revealed outright, but became apparent through indirect apologies and discussions.

I spent most of one day trying not to speculate about what was the “wrong doing” that was the reason for these vague apologies. I felt it right for the truth to be revealed and any wrongs to be corrected. At the same time it was a bit of a struggle to keep from feeling as though I’d be hurt as an outcome.

A helpful thought was “....if there is any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these” (Philippians 4:8). I prayed to know that this individual expressed the desire to be honest as evidenced by the promise.

This was helpful to recognize that my friend had been honest in the past and that this was proof of the inherent true nature as God’s child. No illusion of dishonesty could change that identity. In this way each of us has no choice but to express honesty and integrity.

I decided to send an email asking for an explanation of the apologies. As I wrote it, I found it challenging to keep it in a non-accusatory tone. So, I kept it simple.

The response from my friend was a denial of any apology. I decided not to send a reply at that time, but instead walked to a nearby grocery store. On the way there and on the way back, I tried to recognize the presence of divine Love in this situation.

I started with the idea that as a child of God I could not be harmed by the actions of another, because all good comes from God directly to me, not through others. So this claim of dishonesty could not take anything away from me. This helped a bit, but did not address my sense of unease with the actions of my friend.

The spiritual breakthrough came when I was walking back home. As I crossed in front of a church, I began to think of the magnitude of what Love really offers. I felt that it had to provide more than just a way to fix personal problems. I realized that I needed to raise my concept of divine Love beyond just how it would impact my situation. I needed to see a divine Love that is the very harmony that underlies all existence.

I felt a sense of warmth that comes to me when there seems to be a dawning of a higher understanding of God’s true nature. I just felt comforted in knowing that dishonesty is not allowed by divine Love. Love would not allow anyone to do anything contrary to the divine nature of Creation. Love would govern this situation.

I had been home only a few minutes when I got a phone call from my friend, who described what had happened and apologized for the dishonesty. Later in the conversation I asked when the idea came to tell me the truth, and the reply was “about 10 minutes ago”. This was about the same time as the thought of a greater sense of Love’s guidance was dawning for me.

It was nice that the dishonesty was uncovered and that harmony was restored. Much greater though, was a glimpse into the glorious truths that Mrs. Eddy shares with us in her quote “Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need” (S&H 494). This experience, though not nearly as challenging as many situations around the world, gives me confidence to see that there is more to a promise than just a material mind expressing a willful desire. It is a connection to a higher sense of justice available to all.

HEALING- No break with God's Love

A few years ago, I was working for the Peace Corps in a small village in Eastern Africa, along the lakeshore of Malawi. I lived a simple life with no cellphone, Internet, electricity, or piped water. Although being in a remote location made contact with family and friends in the United States difficult, my new neighbors in Malawi helped me feel at home. They always expressed great kindness and compassion toward me, inviting me to share meals and visit them frequently.

One day, inspired to show hospitality to a friend, I scheduled dinner with him at my house. That afternoon, I was working outside with basic carpentry hand tools, trying to make a simple piece of furniture. As I was cutting a board of beautiful hardwood, it slipped off the workbench and landed on the soft top part of my foot. I was wearing flip-flops at the time, which offered little protection from the impact of the board. I remember hearing a cracking sound in my foot and feeling that something had shifted. My foot became painful to move or put weight on. I immediately turned my thought away from pain and acceptance of this injury, to the renewing power of God’s love.

Although as a child I’d attended Christian Science Sunday School, I’d just recently become reacquainted with Christian Science before leaving the United States for Malawi. I’d been to visit a Christian Scientist who lived a few hours away from my home, and he lent me a book called A Century of Christian Science Healing (The Christian Science Publishing Society, 1966). The examples of healing in the book gave me a renewed confidence in Christian Science healing. And I had been inspired by this passage in Science and Health: “The confidence inspired by Science lies in the fact that Truth is real and error is unreal” (p. 368).

And so, when the board fell on my foot, I knew that this was an opportunity to completely rely on God for help with a calm and childlike trust. I turned wholeheartedly to Him to comfort me and still my thoughts.

I continued building the piece of furniture I was working on, while being mentally still and knowing that there could be no accident that could separate me from God’s protection and care. Because I felt confident in my spiritual heritage as God’s reflection, I felt no need to look at my foot to examine its condition. I did not move from that spot, but just kept affirming what was spiritually true, all along rejecting the suggestion that there was a power outside God that could damage or harm me. I didn’t want to leave that workbench until I felt complete confidence in the truth of these spiritual ideas.

I realized that my desire to prepare a nice meal for a friend had come out of hospitality, and that nothing could interfere with this quality of love, which came straight from God. In Science and Health, Mary Baker Eddy said, “Right motives give pinions to thought, and strength and freedom to speech and action” (p. 454). I continued to joyfully accept that God could only have good in store for me, and that this accident was not part of His plan.

Within about half an hour or so, I was able to stand up and walk away comfortably to begin preparations for dinner. Although there was still some bruising on the top of my foot from the impact of the board, I wasn’t limited in my mobility in any way, and I felt that everything in my foot was in place.

My friend and I ended up having dinner outside, enjoying the bright stars and eating my favorite meal of eggs, rice, and beans. During the evening, we shared some great spiritual discussion, which was such a blessing to me.

In just a few days, all bruising on my foot had disappeared, and there was no evidence of anything being broken or dislodged.

I am grateful for the practical and demonstrable nature of Christian Science, which is applicable anywhere in the world, and at any time.

PROTECTION- Journey towards Spiritual Growth- from December 2005

Travel in eastern and northern Africa can be a wonderful experience. There is so much natural beauty and many diverse cultures that embrace a slow, easy way of life. At the same time it can be a bit of a challenge to one’s sense of peace, safety, and harmony. Some methods of travel seem downright dangerous, and certain locations are seemingly plagued with unrest and poverty.

Before starting a journey that would take me through Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Egypt, I spent some time considering the spiritual purpose of such a trip and how I could use this opportunity to better understand my relationship with God. Though opposed by the appearance of lack, hardship, and conflict, a true sense of peace and harmony exists, but it takes considerable thought to remove false evidence and replace it with spiritual truth.

The Bible offered some guidance towards a higher spiritual perspective when it tells that Jesus said “He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life” John 5:24. This everlasting life that Jesus promised seemed less of a promise of life sustained infinitely in a thirty something year old body and more towards a higher state of existence that is not reliant on material things, but rather on the divine nature of God’s perfect child.

I felt that my growth in this understanding of the higher reality would help free me from the fear or pity that I felt when traveling. At times I would bow my head and repeat over and over “God is in control, God is in control” and shut out conditions that reported otherwise. There was nothing that could happen that could separate me from God for an instant. This is explained on page 91 of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, “Let us rid ourselves of the belief that man is separated from God, and obey only the divine Principle, Life and Love. Here is the great point of departure for all true spiritual growth.” God’s protection for me never changed, though my recognition of the true basis of this protection had room to grow. What a great departure for spiritual growth.

Here are a few examples where I felt guided and protected:

• In eastern Tanzania a passenger bus that I was on swerved to miss an oncoming truck, and barely missed going over an unprotected 300 foot drop at the side of the road.
• After leaving Arusha, Tanzania I found out that there were riots following the election results’ announcement two days after I left.
  
• While traveling on a passenger ferry on Lake Victoria the captain mentioned that it was good that I had not taken the bus route along the border as it was occasionally hijacked
• When traveling on a passenger bus from Tanzania to Uganda the bus was forced to veer completely off the road to miss an oncoming truck that was passing another oncoming truck. The bus that I was on slowed a bit, regained the road, and kept on.
• A day after I left the capital of Uganda there was political unrest
• After being told that all bus tickets were sold out to Nairobi, Kenya. I was blessed with a last minute ticket allowing me to spend Christmas with a fellow Christian Scientist and her family

One of the greatest blessings came when I traveled to Egypt. The US Embassy there suggested that travelers stay away from the Sinai Peninsula, due to previous terrorist attacks. This is where Mt. Sinai is located, and is where Moses saw the burning bush and received the Ten Commandments. I considered my purpose for wanting to visit the Mt Sinai area and also from where my sense of protection had come. Over time it became clear that God had kept me safe and guided me. I could rely on this protection anywhere, anytime. Traveling to see this beautiful area rich with biblical history seemed like a great opportunity.

I traveled to Dahab, which is located along the eastern side of the Sinai Peninsula. One night, three men walking the opposite direction passed me on the boardwalk along the Red Sea. One of the men turned to me and said “tomorrow it will all be over.” At first I felt I misunderstood or that it was a mistake but over time I felt that I needed to handle this threat of violence by turning to God.

I returned to my hotel room and sat silently, listening for guidance. It became clear that God was indeed in control and that nothing could change that. The best thing I could do was confirm that God created his children perfect, thus incapable of being harmed or harming another. I just needed to remain free of fear that man could be separated from eternal life.

The following day I awoke and continued praying to love all of the people in Dahab, as God loves them. The mountains outside of my hotel room door were bathed in sunlight and I felt bathed in God’s love. After a peaceful morning I ended up going to Mt. Sinai to see the Burning Bush and climb Mt. Sinai to watch the sunset. The rest of my trip was uneventful regarding the interchange the men.

Not long after my visit, I heard that a passenger ferry on the Red Sea, and later the town of Dahab was attacked. While I prayed for comfort for those involved, I focused most of my thought on the confidence that I had gained in my relationship with God through so many demonstrations of true safety. Divine Love did not create anyone anywhere with the intention of allowing them to be harmed. The true nature of eternal life means that it a perfect reflection of God existing without start or end.

I am grateful for the teachings of Mrs. Eddy as explained in her writings. I am grateful for a better understanding of the true reality about which Jesus spoke. I am also grateful for the idea that I need to travel with a little more prayer and a little less junk.

HEALING- Ear for Truth

When I served as a volunteer in the Peace Corps, I lived in the northern part of Malawi, Africa. My view of Lake Malawi and the Tanzanian mountains on the other side of the lake was stunning. I was living in a village that was beautiful but quite isolated from the modern world. The village people were friendly and lived at a comfortable pace. However, I was about 45 minutes from the nearest working telephone, and at times I felt isolated. This isolation would sometimes lead to fear when I faced a difficulty or health problem. Early in my experience, I suffered from a severe illness, and due to fear I took the medication that Peace Corps required as treatment. This physical struggle left me with a lack of spiritual enthusiasm followed by a sense of discouragement.

When I joined the Peace Corps, I was filled with a sense of joy and a desire to serve others. I had witnessed so many wonderful examples of selfless service by other people that I wanted to try and do similar things. During my time in Malawi, I began feeling frustrated with the challenges that I was facing regarding development activities with the community. As my enthusiasm waned, I found I was using human reasoning to justify the downward slide of emotions. It seemed easy to get caught up in the idea of holding others responsible for challenges that I was facing. As I started working on development projects I found that there were many delays due to differences in work ethic and culture.

This was difficult as I was in another country away from everything that was familiar, and at times it felt pointless to be there. I was getting tricked into believing that speed bumps along the path were road blocks. I found discouragement instead of finding a spiritual solution in a higher sense of creativity and government.

As the situation worsened, I started struggling with what seemed like an infected ear. The symptoms made it difficult to complete my daily tasks. One night I awoke in the early hours of the morning with a great deal of pressure in the ear and it seemed as if the ear would burst. At first the helpless feeling took over, but the comfort that I had found in previous healings lead me back to the all-powerful divine Love.

I read a few articles from an issue of the Christian Science Sentinel. The first article was about looking past a false material façade and seeing the spiritual beauty. The second article was about recognizing the spiritual qualities of beauty expressed by a person. These articles helped me to look past the false material outlook and look for the perfect creation as God made it. This higher concept of beauty helped to relieve the pressure that I had been putting on myself to find inspiration in these material surroundings and activities. The truth was that I had never been isolated or separated from God and his ever unfolding beauty.

A great sense of calm replaced the discomfort and I went to sleep easily. In the morning the symptoms were greatly improved and I felt refreshed spiritually. I decided to travel into the nearest city to contact a Christian Science practitioner about getting prayerful support towards a complete healing. When I arrived in the city, I tried sending an email, but prior to sending it the internet connection was broken. While I was waiting to resend the message, I sat in a restaurant and I could feel the pressure in the ear diminish.

When I was able to get in touch with the Christian Science practitioner, she shared the idea that I had a clear unblocked connection to God, Spirit. And through this connection, Spirit was giving me the understanding I needed to overcome the false belief.

As I walked around the city, I was overwhelmed with a sense of spiritual beauty, and in a small way God’s presence. Instead of seeing a rundown building, I saw beautiful plants growing on a balcony. It was if I were walking through a new city with a sense of peace, free from harassment or isolation. I spent the rest of the day looking for abundance instead of lack, and feeling bathed in divine compassion.

In a few days the harmony in my life was restored and the problem with the ear was healed. Everything seemed renewed to its higher sense of wholeness. Through the unchanging guidance of Christian Science and the wonderful support of the Christian Science practitioner, I found a renewed sense of compassion and the spiritual presence of God in my activities.

“Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live” (Isa 55:3). God provides all peace and harmony, and to receive this blessing, I needed to listen. I am very grateful for this powerful method of restoring wholeness, for God’s absolute presence and power, and the wonderful kindness that others around me have displayed.