Understanding and peace

When I was still in my teens, my mother and I moved from our family home to take care of an elderly aunt. Almost every night the women would get into loud, harsh arguments. On one occasion I was in my room trying to do homework when my aunt came in and frantically tried to get me to side with her in a heated dispute.

"You know I'm right!" she shouted.

At that moment I reached out to God for help. Some familiar verses from the Bible came to thought, and with them a glimpse of God's infinite capacity to bless, of His nature as impartial divine Love.

My aunt left the room almost immediately, and the arguing ceased. From that night on there was no further effort to draw me into a cross fire of opinions and feelings. Within a short time my aunt found a better way to meet her need for care, and my mother and I moved on to happier quarters. All of us remained friends.

This incident was a milestone in my life. It showed me that there is an inseparable relationship between spiritual understanding and harmony. At times the proofs in my life of this divine fact have been immediate; in other cases persistent effort has been required. Yet no matter how meager my knowledge of God has seemed, a clear realization of God's power and love has had a healing effect.

"Thou [God] wilt keep him in perfect peace," the Bible tells us, "whose mind is stayed in thee: because he trusteth in thee." n1 This "perfect peace" can never be an arbitrary thing, the result merely of favorable conditions. Peace is a precious gift from God to man, and comes to the heart that is beginning to know God.

n1 Isaiah 26:3;

What God, Love, has created cannot be undone. His spiritual offspring reflect Him in nature and action. There is simply no room for anything unlike good in divine reality; no opposing, warring, conflicting elements. Man is God's likeness. Man is always composed of and equipped with wisdom and love -- qualities that are inseparable from their source, God. Man reflects peace, and true peace cannot be defeated. Knowing this and striving to live up to its demands brings increased dominion over friction and warfare.

Bickering and belligerency are based on the false assumption that there can be an intelligence apart from God. From this premise, goodness and happiness are thought to be limited.

But nothing can change spiritual reality. Divine Mind is the one and only intelligence of the universe. Mind, God, is perpetually conscious of His own perfect creation; in absolute control of what He has made. Understanding this helps bring a more enduring peace, increasing immunity from harmful mental influences, and greater purpose to life.

The battlefields of the world are not limited to places like the Middle East. The struggle for victory over the limitations and frustrations of everyday life takes place in individual consciousness. Realizing the potential healing power of each God-based concept we entertain, feeling the peace it brings, can do much to help us better understand ourselves and our fellowman. It can do much in meeting the complex problems of our times. For after all, nations are not simply pieces of geography. They are in a major degree composed of the thoughts , attitudes, and ideas of their citizenry. None of us are insignificant! We can't afford to relax our efforts at peacemaking.

As we persistently do our part in bringing divine peace into our lives, our awareness of God's limitless goodness will expand. We will find opportunities to help bring peace to others.

Mary Baker Eddy, n2 a dedicated follower of Christ Jesus, writes: "Through divine Science, Spirit, God, unites understanding to eternal harmony. The calm and exalted thought or spiritual apprehension is at peace." n3 Could there be a better, more solid foundation for meeting threats of discord than the conscious awareness and living of true peace?

n2 Mrs. Eddy is the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science;

n3 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,m p. 506.

DAILY BIBLE VERSE The Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. . . . So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for hi s God gave him rest round about. II Chronicles 20:22, 30