God’s positioning system
Often in daily life, we feel a need for guidance in solving our problems. Sometimes technology can provide the needed help – such as when I use the GPS (Global Positioning System) navigation in my car. Most of the time it gives accurate directions, but occasionally it misdirects me. So, I don’t fully trust it.
This reminds me of how we sometimes lean on friends to give us advice and direction when we’re making important decisions. Often it’s helpful. Career moves, educational choices, where to live, how to invest our money wisely – we care about these issues and trust our friends to give us good advice. Yet, even those closest to us may have varying opinions, so how can we really know what decision is best?
This is where I find turning to God, the all-knowing, all-intelligent divine Mind, so valuable. His Word in the Bible reveals man as God-created, the image and likeness of Him. Each of us, therefore, is complete and spiritual.
The teachings of Christian Science explain that man, being a complete expression of divine Mind, must express the wisdom and understanding that this Mind supplies. God is our Father, guiding us continuously. Unlike variable human opinions, God’s direction is always sound. As a student of Christian Science, I have been learning to rely more consistently on this divine Mind through prayer and spiritual sense.
Everyone has spiritual sense – “a conscious, constant capacity to understand God” (Mary Baker Eddy, “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” p. 209). When we seek to understand the spiritual facts of existence, the mental suggestions that would have us believe that we are not capable of hearing God’s guidance or that we are somehow separated from God are silenced. Because we reflect Mind, we can hear what God is telling us; and it is always good.
Christ Jesus was certainly the prime example of listening for Mind’s guidance in prayer. He didn’t lean on his own personal opinion or human will. He said, “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me” (John 5:30). The same Mind that Christ Jesus expressed also enables us to hear our Father’s will for us, and make sound decisions based on what we hear.
Some years ago, I was faced with the problem of finding appropriate housing for my family in a nearby area. The rental market in the desired location was tight, and it appeared that it was going to be challenging to find a suitable house to fit our needs. The few ads I saw in the newspaper offered rentals that were not going to work for us. Friends offered what they thought might be appropriate solutions, but those did not work either. This move needed to be accomplished quickly, so I was also working against narrow time constraints.
One day, driving through the village where I was hoping to find our new home, a clear intuition came to turn left onto a quiet side street. From experience, I knew that this intuition was an inspired message from God. I listened and proceeded.
On the road was a sign advertising a rental. It was a small single-story residence with all the amenities we were looking for, and it was available immediately. This house had not been listed in the classifieds of our local newspaper, and I was surprised to find out that the landlord was someone I knew. He was delighted to rent to us and was relieved to be able to have someone he felt would take good care of his property.
It turned out to be a harmonious solution for everyone, and a lease was signed right away. We moved in shortly thereafter. Even as we packed and downsized our household items, we relied on God every step of the way. Everything was accomplished quickly and efficiently.
For me, this was concrete evidence that we can trust our ability to hear God’s guidance, and expect practical results from this listening. I’d call divine Mind’s unerring direction a reliable positioning system.
Adapted from an article published in the December 2023 issue of The Christian Science Journal.
