Article September 1, 2008 Issue

EMPLOYMENT STATUS: NO CHANGE

BY DAVID DEWITT BOGGS

Over the past year there have been many news reports about the state of the US economy and its worldwide ramifications. Many people are struggling to make ends meet as jobs have been cut and food and gas prices have steadily risen. If you look only at your own material resources, the situation can look quite depressing. But as I've experienced in my own life, there is a way out of unemployment, need, and decline when we rely on God, or Spirit, as the source of all our provision.

A few years ago, during an economic boom, my business partner and I purchased the office furniture dealership where I'd been employed. During the first two years, it was all we could do to keep up with the increased demands on our capacity, and we congratulated ourselves on our decision to purchase the company. But before long, the economy began to cool down. It was the time when many "dotcom" companies were shutting down. Stocks of many companies were downgraded, and government agencies began to report deficits in their budgets. There were reports of increased layoffs and higher unemployment figures. And then, after two quarters of negative growth, the United States economy was, by definition, in a recession.

As a student of the Bible and the teachings of Christian Science, I've had many tangible proofs in my life of the blessings of relying on God's power as well as recognizing God's protective presence in others' lives. At this time, I realized that the economic downturn was an opportunity for me to deepen my trust in God's care for all. I began by acknowledging the fact that because God is All, He is conscious only of Himself. God, as the Creator of all good, can lack nothing but is aware of His abundant nature and creation. The Bible tells us that "God created man in his own image" (Gen. 1:27). As Spirit's image and likeness, our true identity, makeup, and substance are in fact spiritual. And because of this, all of us can experience God's abundance and constant care.