Where hope comes from

During winter, thoughts of spring cheer us. But what is substantial enough to give us hope in times of illness, fear, or grief? Far weightier than all the ills of the world could ever be, that substantial something is the love and omnipotence of God.

God is the infinite creator, who loves His creation. "Love" so thoroughly describes the nature of Deity that John declared, "God is love." n1 Christian Science shows that divine Love, God, supremely cares for man, never afflicting him but imparting all good -- including health, comfort, abundant supply.

n1 I John 4:16.

Perhaps we do feel that God loves us, but we also believe His saving power can't be tangibly experienced until later -- possibly not until the hereafter. St. Paul saw that God is omnipotent now.m He declared emphatically, "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." n2

n2 II Corinthians 6:2.

Hope comes from this understanding that God's love and power to heal us are always present through His Christ. It is difficult, though, to trust God when our faith rests predominately in matter.

God is Spirit. Spirit is never in partnership with matter. Paul said that "the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." n3

n3 Galatians 5:17.

To find heartfelt hope in God, and to experience the regenerative, healing power of Spirit, involve progressively yielding up our faith in matter and understanding the supremacy of Spirit.

Understanding is key. Fear, illness, or grief would sometimes seem to shake the very foundation of our faith in God. If that foundation is only blind belief, it may be washed away. Deep understanding of God's power and goodness, though, can't be washed away. Neither can the faith that stems from it. Mary Baker Eddy n4 writes, "Having faith in the divine Principle of health and spiritually understanding God, sustains man under all circumstances; whereas the lower appeal to the general faith in material means (commonly called nature) must yield to the all-might of infinite Spirit." n5

n4 Mrs. Eddy is the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science;

n5 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,m p. 319.

By prayerfully, earnestly affirming the omnipotence of Spirit, we find within our own thoughts and hearts very real glimpses of man's eternal oneness with God , in which disease and loss are unknown. These spiritual insights begin to strip affliction of its credibility and fearsomeness. Affliction can never come between God and our true being. It is never part of Spirit's creation, which is entirely good.

We don't have to merely ride out our troubles. We can overcome them through a clearer apprehension of spiritual reality. Spirit, God, is our undiminishable source of hope and healing. We don't have to look anywhere else. DAILY BIBLE VERSE I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. Psalms 40:1-3