Although the word shadow is frequently used in the Bible to convey the thought of God's sheltering presence and tender protection, it is sometimes used to denote a sense of gloom. When we use it in the latter sense we may understand that it refers to nothing more than a fleeting boast to power and subtance, which disappears before the radiant understanding of God's allness.
Many people today believe that their happiness is obscured by many forms of physical suffering and mental distress. These dark shadows may appear to be individual problems of disease, sorrow, limitation, or anxiety over world conditions and fear of modern destructive weapons of warfare. But whatever the problem—from the smallest individual inharmony to disasters of world-wide proportion—Christian Science brings the assurance that God is bigger than any appearance of error that seems to hide His all-power and ever-presence. This assurance is based on the fundamental spiritual fact stated in I John (1:5), "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all."
Human theories have failed in a degree to pierce the darkness of mortal ignorance and have been found inadequate to solve all the problems of suffering humanity. Throughout the centuries the Bible has given its students hope, comfort, and inspiration; but until its spiritual meaning was revealed to all the world by Mary Baker Eddy, men did not know how to apply the unfailing laws of God to every human problem. It is because Christian Science looks beyond human theories that it meets the human need so effectively.
