In our country, at least, the news disseminated by print and broadcast media often implies that the near future will be hard, with shortages of basic supplies and essential resources such as water, energy, and fuel for cars and planes. We need to be alert to pray about this wave of fear and doubt, to understand spiritually the truth that corrects the problems facing us.
We can start by turning our thought to God, the only power, the only and infinite provider. Recognizing that God is All-in-all, that God is Spirit, is the first step to demonstrating the allness of good every day. As the spiritual and perfect idea of God, created in His image and likeness, each one of us expresses the essence of being, the immutable spiritual nature, which is wholly good and is inherently manifested in us. As God’s image, we can see everywhere only what God sees—the absolute perfection of everything and everyone.
It is possible, wherever we live, to understand that life, as the full expression of divine Life, can include no lack. The strength of this life cannot diminish or weaken.
In Christian Science we learn that true resources are eternal and spiritual because they come from God, from His immutable spiritual nature, which cannot be changed, diminished, or modified. This abundant supply is being expressed, right now, in all the sons and daughters of God.
When my children were little and our household expenses were plenty, it seemed hard to fulfill all our financial commitments, even though my husband had three jobs and I, one. Our mortgage, car payments, school tuition, transportation to and from school, not to mention groceries and clothing expenses, absorbed all our earnings, and many times our mortgage payment was late.
The abundance of God’s supply is expressed, right now, in all the sons and daughters of God.
On one occasion, we got a notice saying that my husband’s tax return had a mistake and that he would need to pay a certain amount to the government. We didn’t have the money for this payment, and my husband was very worried. I was just beginning to study Christian Science and quickly started to pray about this situation. I remembered the Bible story where those who collected tribute approached Peter.
Jesus told Peter to go and cast a fishing hook into the lake, and he would find the money in the mouth of the first fish that came up (see Matthew 17:24–27).
In this passage, I was struck by the fact that Jesus didn’t refuse to pay that tribute, and I was also struck by his absolute confidence that he would be able to pay it.
I was certain that the money we needed to pay our debt would come from a right source, as Jesus was that he would have the resources to pay his taxes and Peter’s.
I understood this very clearly, and when I prayed, I was reassured by the understanding that God is constantly meeting all our needs.
Sometime later, maybe two months later, my husband received overdue salaries from one of the two colleges where he was teaching. This college had been experiencing financial difficulties and for some time had been unable to pay their professors. The money gave us enough to pay the debt.
I felt great joy because to me that gave proof of God’s love for us, which nobody ever lacks. This was the action of Love, whose law is infallible and everlasting.
Divine provision is unlimited, never lacking, because it comes from the inexhaustible source, God, our Father. Understanding this, we find that nobody can lack the joy of living, or the disposition to serve God each day. We cannot lack the fruitage of our continued work for church or the good effects of daily praying to acknowledge and discern spiritually the wonderful works of the only creator, God.
When we understand that God’s provision for us is continuous, that it is not subject to fluctuations or imbalances, we always have all we need and are able to live undisturbed, without fearing an uncertain future full of hardships and decrease of resources. Our true resources, the spiritual good emanating from God, are an expression of the eternal divine Principle, God, which continuously animates all spiritual being. Mary Baker Eddy writes in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: “Fear never stopped being and its action” (p. 151). When our thought is grounded on this premise, we overcome the fear of lack or shortages.
By trusting that good flows uninterruptedly to each and every child of God, we are prepared to express more of the fullness of spiritual ideas flowing to us all from divine Mind. No one can lack the love that is needed, nor the clear, spiritual ideas that bring us health and happiness. There can be no lack of opportunities to love God and our neighbor, and to prove what the power of this love can do. When we cherish pure thoughts, full of kindness and gratitude for what we already have and acknowledge that divine provision is constant, continuous, lasting, inexhaustible, we realize that none of God’s children can lack.
There is no lack of resources in God’s kingdom; there are no limits to Spirit. Therefore, we don’t need to be content with little. The good that comes from the divine, inexhaustible source always provides us abundantly with all we need. There can be no shortage for those whose minds are overflowing with spirituality, joy, and gratitude for the good already received.
