A GPS without equal

Though the growing popularity of Global Positioning Systems makes getting lost almost impossible, there are still millions of people searching to find love, healing, and direction in their lives. Has there ever been a greater call for divine guidance and wise direction than right now – in the war-torn streets of Gaza, among world leaders trying to make wise decisions about the global economy, or among people desperate for a job and a way to put food on the table?

The Science of the Christ, as revealed by Mary Baker Eddy, shows that people have all the guidance they need to help them to their God-appointed destinations in life. We all have ready access to a spiritual compass that's unaffected by electronic interference, weather conditions, or human discord. At any time or place we can listen for divine guidance: "Your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way; walk in it, when you turn to the right hand and when you turn to the left" (Isa. 30:21, Amplified Bible).

Recalling how the Israelites made their way through the Red Sea and the wilderness, Mrs. Eddy saw that thoughts – spiritual ideas – are able to "guide all right desires in their passage from sense to Soul, from a material sense of existence to the spiritual, up to the glory prepared for them who love God" ("Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," p. 566). This guidance is available to anyone who prays in moments of doubt. It begins with the position that God is at the core of one's life. Just as rays of the sun are never out of position, as spiritual beings we're always in the place of God's presence and control, moved by and sheltered in Love. To grasp this brings the harmony we seek.

In a world filled with dangerous international conflicts, with resulting hardship for innocent men, women, and children, it's more essential than ever that people don't lose the will or the impetus to follow God, making sure that the "material sense of existence" doesn't cloud their spiritual discernment, their ability to hear His voice as clearly as possible.

Think, for example, of King Solomon – a great listener – who, when invited to choose anything he fancied, asked God for "a discerning heart" and the ability "to distinguish between right and wrong," so that he could govern wisely (I Kings 3:9, New International Version). This discernment is knowing that God is present and powerful; to never doubt that His "positioning" of creation is infallible. His wisdom is infinitely individual in its expression – and embraces even those not going anywhere, but feeling abandoned, hungry, sick, confused.

There's no problem so complex, no pit so deep or dark, no difficulty so persistent, that it can't be resolved through understanding more of God's supreme control of our lives. No matter how detailed and immediate the guidance needed, study of the Bible and Science and Health makes it clear that it's all about removing mental obstructions and relying on divine power. It's about listening and trusting, being willing to follow God's leads.

Sometimes it's important to ask, Would God really leave me marooned amidst the emotional, social, political, and financial gridlocks of the world? To stagger in darkness, never quite sure what is truly good and what is really right? He would not. God hears and speaks to us. We remain the object of His attention, and His initiatives are always at work among us. God delivers us from reliance on our own map readings, leading opinions, and failing judgments. And even if we still make mistakes, God's ideas are always available to provide the required course correction.

We don't have to curtail our sense of adventure as we negotiate our route, but it helps to know we have the right "instruments" on the dashboard. Everyone benefits from the right kind of listening and guidance. Spiritual, scientific reasoning handles and directs every challenge at work, in the classroom, at home, and on the world scene. It might stop an angry response toward another or express words of hope that get to the heart of another's uncertainty. And everyone is blessed.

Adapted from the Christian Science Sentinel.