Where do we go from here?

When something doesn't turn out the way we planned and there seems no way to correct the situation, what can we do? A humble recognition of our need for divine help opens the way for God's loving direction to become clear to us. We read in Proverbs, ''Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.'' n1

n1 Proverbs 3:5, 6.

The Bible clearly reveals that God is the loving Father of us all, our heavenly Parent. In His universe there are no frustrations, no unfulfilled hopes or expectations. All is under the control of His beneficent laws, and these laws are only good. As His offspring, His image and likeness, man reflects infinite intelligence, creativity, joy - every aspect of the divine nature.

How do these spiritual truths help solve our problems? The truth of God and man is divine law, always in operation, everywhere. When acknowledged and humbly yielded to, God's law of good governs our experience, and we enjoy increased harmony and progress.

The Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, observes: ''Like a legislative bill that governs millions of mortals whom the legislators know not, the universal law of God has no knowledge of evil, and enters unconsciously the human heart and governs it.

''Mortals have only to submit to the law of God, come into sympathy with it, and to let His will be done.'' n2

n2 Miscellaneous Writings, p. 208.

Christ Jesus' life and healing works reveal how perfectly he understood God's law and lived in accord with it. He said, ''I can of mine own self do nothing: . . . I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.'' n 3 If we feel frustrated, it may be that we need to set aside our own will and pray to let God's will be done.

n3 John 5:30.

Once I had an urgent financial need that could (I thought) have been easily taken care of by a certain relative. To my disappointment, no such help was forthcoming from this direction, though the need was known. I prayed, hoping there would be a change of heart, but in spite of my prayers the situation remained unchanged.

One day I found this sentence in the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scripturesm by Mrs. Eddy: ''That which we desire and for which we ask, it is not always best for us to receive. In this case infinite Love will not grant the request.'' n4

n4 Science and Health, p. 10.

This was an entirely new thought to me. It changed my whole outlook. Instead of believing that a person was withholding something from me, I felt a sense of awe as I realized that there might be reasons, which I could not perceive, why in this instance divine law was manifested in terms of withholding rather than imparting.

The very thought of this possibility quieted my feeling of urgency at once. I stopped thinking about the person from whom I had hoped to receive something. I realized that as a wise parent does not grant a child's every request, knowing it may not be the best thing for him, so our heavenly Parent governs His creation wisely, unerringly. I felt humbled, willing to wait on God and to cease my human planning.

Somewhat later my need was truly met but in an entirely different way, one that brought much spiritual growth and very real progress. This was the last of such crises in my life.

How infinitely better it is to come into sympathy with God's will than to hold out for our own! As a hymn expresses it:

Lord, my times are in Thy hand:

All my sanguine hopes have planned,

To Thy wisdom I resign,

And would mold my will to Thine. n5

n5 Christian Science Hymnal, No. 46.

DAILY BIBLE VERSE Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day. Psalms 25:4,5