Article February 20, 1995 ISSUE

You are not in the dream

Karen Craft

I Remember one night, during a particularly challenging experience, I telephoned a Christian Science practitioner who had been helping me—the line was busy. I tried calling again in a few minutes—the line was still busy. I phoned a close relative—no answer. So I phoned a good friend—and was told she had just gone out. Totally frustrated at my failure to reach anyone, I leaned my head against the phone trying to think whom else I could call for help, when this thought came: "You are not in this dream, you know." I'll never forget it. It got my attention immediately. In a way, it woke me up. A dream—that was exactly the right way to describe the whole experience.

In the middle of a dream, once we wake up the dream has no more power to influence or frighten us. In the same way, any experience that is not evidence of God's all-harmonious presence and power is no more real than a dream and has no power to influence us once we awake to that spiritual truth. Confusion, unhappiness, injustice, and pain are not God's plan for anyone. That evening I really understood that; I accepted it and trusted it. God has never placed me or anyone in any circumstance other than one governed by divine Love, by God Himself. It was a turning point for me, resulting in spiritual progress and healing.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

Religion in the news media