WHO LIKES IT when life is unsettled, full of doubt, disrupted by problems? But since everyone has to deal with times like these, it's good to know that there's always something we can do to restore stability.

During those in-between times, prayer makes a difference. When praying, I've found it's important to be still—and to put indecision and fear out of thought. This way I'm able to receive the messages God has for me.

Because God created us good, it's natural to be calm and to expect good. For that same reason, it's not natural to be frantic, on edge, or in limbo. Finding any sign of good in your life and being grateful for it, regardless of how small it may seem, help bring your thought into line with God, who is the Giver of all good.

Looking for good is looking for God, and siding with God and trusting Him rather than simply focusing on problems, as though they had all the power, is being faithful to the First Commandment: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Ex. 20:3). And it is really comforting to pray to God for answers.

When my three children were growing up, we had a lot of opportunities to prove that God is "a very present help in trouble" (Ps. 46:1). For a variety of reasons, we often had to find a different place to live. These were in-between times, periods of often temporarily living with family or friends. There were many inconveniences, and I was frequently looking for work, which added to the stress. By praying, through, we came to find that when we tried to express such Godlike qualities as love, patience, joy, kindness, our lives were more peaceful, and we were able to move ahead. Although I didn't always realize it at the time, we were finding out that God was with us and that His care could not be interrupted by a move from one apartment to another.

At one point I was quite set on living near my sister's home. But nothing was available to rent that was within our price range. When I prayed—gave up my stubborn will and listened for God's guidance—ideas came to go in a totally new direction. While visiting a relative in Ocean Gate by the beautiful Toms River, the children and I took a walk to enjoy the scenery. We noticed a "For Rent" sign in a window of a lovely house. Too good to be true, I thought. But God's timing was just right. The rent was within our budget. It was soon our new home. I found work there as a substitute teacher, and had other jobs as well. Also, we were a short distance from a church.

To us, this showed what the Bible means when it promises, "In all thy ways acknowledge him [God], and he shall direct thy paths" (Prov. 3:6).

No matter how many clouds appear in your life, God and His goodness are always present, and that's the reason why you can trust Him to direct you. You can't be separated from Him. You can't be cut off from God's gift to you. The sun is always shining, no matter how many clouds are hiding it. The sun remains unaffected, untouched, by them.

"Never ask for to-morrow: it is enough that divine Love is an everpresent help; and if you wait, never doubting, you will have all you need every moment" (Mary Baker Eddy, Miscellaneous Writings, p. 307). Following this advice, our family had what we needed when we needed it—and often when there was very little money.

God fills our days with good continuously—not with missing or tornapart pages. Think about proving this during those in-between times.