Article August 14, 1926 Issue

God Guides

EDITH MAE O'BRIEN

To let God lead us, knowing He will lead to the right place at the right time, and in the best way,—to let Him lead us under all circumstances,—would save many trying experiences. We have become so accustomed to doing what we call our own thinking, as well as our own planning, that very often we leave God out entirely, so far as we are concerned. We may argue: This is too trivial a thing to go to God with; and if we do go, how can we know He is leading us? Or it may be we are so determined on carrying out our own plans that we fear they may be thwarted in some mysterious way if we turn to Him.

And so this so-called mind opposed to God argues. We forget that nothing is too trivial for the God who notes a sparrow's fall; that Moses and the Israelites were led to the promised land, directly or indirectly, as they put self-will, rebellion, human planning, and such beliefs aside. And we also forget that God withholds no good from His children; nor does He limit us in the good we may receive. The denial of what we may have considered good has often proved a blessing to us, and we have found something better awaiting us.

A Christian Scientist once learned a valuable lesson in turning completely to God for guidance. She lived in the suburbs of a large city, and on returning home one night from a Wednesday evening testimony meeting, found it too dark to follow a path which she had to take before reaching her home. It was a winding path through underbrush, and on one side of the path was a deep hole partly filled with water. It was so very dark that she could not tell just where the path began, let alone follow it. At once the thought came to her, Your physical sight cannot possibly help you now, so let God take you by the hand; He will lead you. She emptied her consciousness of every thought but the knowledge that God would guide her safely home, and then started forward. She was suddenly aware that she had gone some distance along the path, and with this glad realization temptation came in this guise: I have done very well! Now I think I had better turn a little to the left, for I am sure the path turns in that direction at this point. But God was there, and immediately came the rebuke: God has led you this far—not mortal mind; it could not have done it, and God will lead you the rest of the way. Again she turned to God alone for guidance, and as she started forward, she noticed that she turned to the right and not to the left, as mortal mind had directed. She was very soon in the clearing, and at home.

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