God's guidance experienced in many ways

Hymn No. 148 in the Christian Science Hymnal has always been inspirational to me. It reminds me never to doubt the wisdom of divine Mind. Today I can look back and see many times when this supreme intelligence gave me a sense of direction that I could follow for the benefit of my relationships, my career, and my health.

One example occurred a few years ago when we were relocating. The day my wife and I started packing to move, my head started aching so severely that I had to go to bed. The pain escalated into an illness that kept me incapacitated until I called a Christian Science practitioner about the problem.

Within a few minutes after her treatment began, the pain stopped and I fell asleep. When I woke a couple of hours later, the illness was completely gone.

Afterward, the practitioner said that it had come to her through prayer that there is no resistance to good. I later realized how much I had feared that the move was wrong and that I had been resisting a complete acceptance of what was, in fact, God's direction.

During my senior year in college, a friend and I decided to arrange an academic internship for part of our last year. After gaining permission from the school officials, we proceeded to try to find a company overseas that would "employ" us. After weeks of telephone calls and research, we had made very little progress.

At this point, we decided to stop all the calls and planning and listen to God for direction. I remember praying for the willingness to trust in God, and I no doubt also affirmed that as His child all my needs were provided for in constant abundance. My job was to drop all preconceived notions of what I wanted so that I could recognize the right idea from Him.

This new willingness led us to be receptive to other possibilities. We made a couple of phone calls domestically, and within two weeks we had found not only a job but also a housesitting opportunity for just about the time we were going to be in the city. The house turned out to be about five minutes from our office. The internship was rewarding and fulfilling both for us and for the company. We were also able to use without charge a ski condo owned by my friend's uncle, and we spent most of our weekends skiing. When God provides, it is with abundance!

In fact, the experience with this company was so good that as my friend and I approached the end of our internship, we became very interested in working for them after we finished school. The head of our department was also receptive to the idea.

However, I was hesitant about accepting a job right after school. I had wanted to take class instruction in Christian Science after graduation, and thought it would not be possible to take off the two weeks required, immediately after starting work. Therefore, I took time to pray to know that God has a plan for each of His ideas, and that as an idea of God I was under Mind's control always. Nevertheless, I wanted that job, and I was devastated at first to learn that our superior had decided to hire my friend, but not me! However, I had seen God's direction manifested throughout the course of our internship, and I reasoned that His goodness is always flowing to His ideas. As long as I was willing to listen to and obey His guidance, I would feel His care. I am still grateful for my friend, whose support during this time was a clear manifestation of God's care for me.

I applied for class, even though my application was late. A few weeks later, I received my acceptance letter, and I thanked God for His direction, knowing that this class really was the right thing for me. However, a few hours later in that very same day, my former boss called with a job offer! I told him my enthusiastic acceptance was conditional upon being able to take the necessary two weeks' vacation during that summer. After some hesitation, he said that would be fine. I remember sitting by the phone, overwhelmed by this evidence of Mind's direction.

My faith was tested a few weeks later when my boss called the night before graduation and said he could not spare me for the two weeks—he would have to hire someone else if I wasn't available. I said I wouldn't change my mind, so he said he was sorry, and wished me luck for the future. A couple of days later, however, he called back and said he had decided to give me the job after all. As a dedicated member of a different church, he found that he respected my willingness to sacrifice for something related to church.

I've seen since then that there are two parts to praying for direction. The first is listening and being receptive. The second is being obedient! Mrs. Eddy says, "Be sure that God directs your way; then, hasten to follow under every circumstance" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 117).

I am humbly grateful to Mrs. Eddy for the Science she has revealed to us. Also, I'm thankful for the dedicated practitioners who have always helped me in times of need, and for my wife, who always has a supportive or an inspiring word for me when I most need it.

John T. Caldwell
Lincoln, Massachusetts