When I was a child, my mom and dad went through divorce proceedings for almost a year. On the surface of things, divorce appeared inevitable, but my mom refused to accept the possibility of the breakup of her marriage. She wasn't ignoring the problem or simply hoping it would go away. Instead, she was looking at the situation from a higher standpoint. A friend constantly encouraged her to "look through, not at." In other words, look to the spiritual reality of God's creation—its perfection—instead of focusing on the problem. Science and Health puts it this way: "Mortals must look beyond fading, finite forms, if they would gain the true sense of things" (p. 264).

My mom was being urged not to accept this bleak state of affairs as an inevitable fact. She began to realize that she and my dad were cherished by God. They were receiving the good that He alone could give them. Therefore, they could not be deprived of anything. Instead of focusing on the situation, my mother consistently looked beyond it. Just before the year ended, she and my father had a beautiful reconciliation, followed by 25 years of happiness together.

"Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment," Jesus said (John 7:24). J. B. Phillips translates this, "You must not judge by the appearance of things but by the reality!" Through his healings, Jesus showed that each one of us is God's reflection, regardless of what appears outwardly. Science and Health points out that Jesus saw "the perfect man" where others saw a sinful mortal. And it says, "In this perfect man theSaviour saw God's own likeness, and this correct view of man healed the sick" (see pp. 476-477).

Several years ago, a friend called asking me to pray for her. She had a sore on her leg, and it looked alarming. Remembering the advice of my mom's friend, I encouraged my friend to "look through, not at" this situation. She found it difficult to look away from the difficulty when she showered, but she tried to be obedient.

The situation grew worse. She had to deal with fear, discouragement, pain. But she continued to hold firmly to the truth of her spiritual, unblemished identity as a child of God instead of checking her leg.

As she persisted, the sore closed and she was completely healed. She was grateful for the healing, but was especially thankful for what she learned: never to accept sickness as true about God's child; never to give up. And to look away from the evidence of disease as no part of God's creation.

The temptation to become fascinated by sickness or tragedy can be persistent. We do have to be aware of the many situations that need healing and to pray for their resolution. Yet focusing on them to the exclusion of prayer undermines our ability to help.

This reminds me of the children's fable of Chicken Little. Chicken Little was sure the sky was falling in because, he said, "I saw it with my eyes, I heard it with my ears, and a piece fell on my tail!" Then he convinced the other barnyard animals, Turkey Lurky, Henny Penny, and Ducky Lucky—but not Foxy Loxy, who lured them into his den with promises of safety.

Instead of being like Chicken Little, we need to hold consistently to what's true, and reject the idea that our own—or someone else's—sky is falling in, that anyone can be separated from God, who is good. God gives us the ability to not react to reports of injustice or suffering as though they were beyond His help. He leads us to respond through prayer to the cries of a world in search of healing.

God's allness and uninterrupted care are the facts of existence right where disaster appears to be. The true identity of each of us is maintained by Him—totally perfect. Staying close to this pure view of God's creation enables us to respond to the world's woe with something more helpful than heartache and pity.

To look beyond what our eyes and ears are saying is not always easy. But if we're faithful about holding God's presence and always-available power close to our hearts, this will calm fear and discouragement so that we can pray intelligently. Then we can expect to see concrete evidence of God's uninterrupted care for us.

The book of Proverbs asks this provocative question: "Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not?" (23:5). My mom and my friend answered "No!" to it. And so can you and I. The next time you're tempted to accept any indication that God didn't make you perfect and upright, you can instead set your "eyes" on that which is, on perfect spiritual reality—and see healing results.