Stability during the housing crisis
A Christian Science perspective.
The housing and foreclosure crisis has had a great impact on individuals and families in the United States and other countries. Among the concerns are questions like these: Will prices on homes fall further? Will we be able to sell our home? Will we qualify for a new mortgage loan? Is my job stable enough to take on a long-term financial commitment? Some are even asking, “Should we lower our expectations and recognize that there’s not enough to go around for everyone?” Each of these questions points to a yearning for financial stability and an economic model that works for them.
So is there a model that is reliable – one that offers stability over time and circumstances? I’ve found there is. My study of Christian Science has proved that looking to God as the constant source of supply in one’s life can help guide anyone – even while navigating this economic crisis.
At the heart of Christian Science is each individual’s opportunity to see that we are children of God, made in His image and likeness. Since God has infinite resources, His children have infinite resources available, too. Since God is divine Mind, we as His children can express wisdom in financial decisions as we rely on the all-knowing Mind. Reasoning this way removes the darkness and doubt that we’re adrift on our own without help or hope.
But, you might ask, how does this provide a practical solution for me if I need to sell my house, or my employment has been cut back and my bills are piling up? The Bible provides many examples of dire circumstances being healed, set aside, or met through trust in God. When Moses needed water in the desert wilderness, he found it when God guided him to strike a rock and obtain water from it (see Exodus 17:1-6); when Jesus needed to feed thousands of people with a small supply of fish and bread, there was enough (see Mark 8:1-9); and when the disciples needed to be saved from a raging storm, Jesus calmed the waves by commanding, “Peace, be still” (Mark 4:39).
The Christ, Truth, that Jesus represented, revealed God’s present care for all of His children. It was there for each of them. It’s there for you, too, right now.
The model Jesus knew was one where his Father, God, was always present to heal, save, and shelter His children. In God’s kingdom there is no lack or excess; no one is kept from the healing solutions that are needed. As we accept this spiritual model, we will begin to see how we are always under God’s care. As Mary Baker Eddy wrote in “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures”: “We must form perfect models in thought and look at them continually, or we shall never carve them out in grand and noble lives. Let unselfishness, goodness, mercy, justice, health, holiness, love – the kingdom of heaven – reign within us, and sin, disease, and death will diminish until they finally disappear” (p. 248).
This perfect model tempers the way we see the world. Jesus said, “[T]he kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21). This same verse is also translated as “God’s kingdom is already among you” (The Message). Understanding how this truth applies to our daily needs brings us to the heart of Christ Jesus’ model for meeting every human need.
It’s hard to see inexhaustible resources when we are focused on our bank account or the bills that are piling up. But if we just keep looking at signs of lack, we miss the ideas that are coming to us with solutions. To bring healing to a family budget, or to our home and debt situations, we can expect an answer from God and give thanks for His provision – even before we see it.
This provision can take tangible shape for us in a ceasing of slowdowns at work, in new opportunities for employment, or in finding an abundance of what we need where there appeared to be a lack or loss. It might lead one to apply for a new or different job, to try one more time to work out a payment plan for debts, to have confidence that a home will sell, or it might open up a new way of viewing one’s income and expenses.
We can be grateful to know God is present to meet our needs, and that a recognition of this infinite supply blesses one and all. As we see this, and actively base our thoughts and actions on this knowledge of God’s ability to care for us and guide us, practical answers to problems naturally appear. This application of the healing Christ gives us a model we truly can depend on.
Adapted from the Christian Science Sentinel. Click here to read the full article.
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