That’s a question worth asking ourselves frequently. There are usually many things vying, often screaming, for our attention—from commercials pitching their products and services to the constant chatter of public opinion on every topic imaginable. Approaching this barrage of information wisely enables us to determine the direction of our thinking and our daily lives.

A recent experience taught me a valuable lesson about the need to pause to assess the validity of what’s being presented. I had just left the grocery store and was driving home on a busy six-lane highway when a huge cloudburst drenched the roadway. It was one of those rains that challenges windshield wipers to keep pace and makes cars look like motorboats as they move forward. 

Some drivers found a spot to pull over, while others proceeded cautiously, as I did. Finally, I came to a stoplight. Relaxing momentarily, I glanced out my side window, only to have my stomach drop and my foot reflexively slam on the brake. I was moving forward … or so I thought. But actually, my foot was already on the brake. Then I realized that the water flowing over the pavement had tricked me into thinking I was moving and about to hit the car in front of me.

I shook my head and laughed at myself. Now that I knew this feeling was just an illusion, I couldn’t be tricked again. Right? So I took another glance out the window, only to have my stomach drop again as I felt the very same sense of movement as before. 

This happened every time I looked at the road and the moving water. Even though I understood intellectually that this perception of the car’s movement was only an illusion, as long as the streaming roadway had my attention, my body reacted to the deception. Trying to talk myself out of believing the false appearance proved unsuccessful until I turned my attention away from it. 

This experience furnishes food for thought in light of what Christian Science reveals about what is real and what isn’t and how to deal with the impressions produced by the physical senses. 

One of the great teachings of the Scriptures is that God is not material. The Bible explains God this way: “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). Christian Science, which is based on the Bible, teaches that divine Spirit’s creation—man and the universe—is entirely spiritual. And because God is infinite and good, all that He made is good.

Trying to talk myself out of believing the false appearance proved unsuccessful until I turned my attention away from it. 

But what about the information that comes to us through the physical senses? Christian Science explains that these senses are unreliable because they are limited in scope. Being material, they cannot perceive what is real—God and His spiritual creation. Therefore, we must conclude that what the physical senses convey is unreal, illusory.

Spiritual sense, on the other hand, is our God-derived ability to perceive God’s nature and our identity as His spiritual creation. As we look to God with the understanding that He is infinite and totally good, we are less likely to be fooled by the material senses falsely testifying to God’s, good’s, absence.

Mary Baker Eddy writes in the Christian Science textbook, “The substance, Life, intelligence, Truth, and Love, which constitute Deity, are reflected by His creation; and when we subordinate the false testimony of the corporeal senses to the facts of Science, we shall see this true likeness and reflection everywhere” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 516).

When anything contrary to God’s love-filled, life-preserving nature is demanding our attention—whether it be sickness, addiction, financial distress, a dysfunctional relationship, or a troubling world event—it’s tempting to let it take center stage in our thinking. But solutions are not to be found in a material sense of life, which is continually presenting illusions of discord and strife. The way to free ourselves from an illusion is to see through its false appearance and look instead at the truth of God’s infinitude and goodness. Seeing what’s spiritually real brings healing.

Christ Jesus assured his followers, “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). And he backed up this statement by healing problems of all kinds, whatever was not in accord with God’s goodness and love—even death. When Jesus learned that his friend Lazarus was dead, he restored him to life, not by conceding that if he had gotten there sooner his friend would not have died but by understanding that death is an illusion. He turned his gaze away from the grave and instead looked up to God, giving divine Life his full attention and trust (see John 11:1–44).

When faced with thousands of hungry listeners in the desert while having only a couple of fish and a few loaves of bread on hand, Jesus saw beyond the dire picture of limitation. He looked up and thanked God; then God’s abundant provision became tangibly apparent and was distributed to the multitude, and “they did all eat, and were filled” (see Mark 6:35–44).

We, too, can gain dominion over the falsehoods of material sense by turning our thoughts away from difficulties, in whatever form they appear, and turning our gaze instead to the light of Truth. That’s what study and prayer in Christian Science help us do. They lead human thought to the understanding of God as the only true Mind, Life, and Love, where harmony and healing are found. 

Seeing what’s spiritually real brings healing.

Here’s a practical example from my own experience. A few years ago, my husband was out riding all-terrain vehicles in a mountainous area with our sons and a couple of their friends. One of the friends had a new four-wheeler and wanted my husband to try it out.

Unfamiliar with the bike and on an uneven path, my husband accidentally rolled the vehicle over and injured his shoulder. When he arrived home, it was evident that the shoulder was broken, so we took him to a hospital to have it set. 

The attending doctor whisked my husband off for X-rays and came back to say that the shoulder would need surgery to be set. He’d also found three or four broken ribs, and predicted that my husband would not be able to work for several months. The doctor added that he needed to do more X-rays to see what other damage had been done.

My sons and I waited in the little cubicle provided. During this time alone, we knew it was important to turn to God and not let the dire prognosis impact our view. I quietly affirmed the divine presence. I had a copy of Science and Health with me, so I turned to page 475, which addresses the question “What is man?” The answer begins with what man is not: “Man is not matter; he is not made up of brain, blood, bones, and other material elements.” It goes on to say: “Man is idea, the image, of Love; he is not physique. He is the compound idea of God, including all right ideas; …” 

I shared this spiritual view of man with our sons, who began recounting healings they had experienced of several injuries from their high school and college athletic careers. It was an inspiring conversation that centered not on Dad’s injuries but on God’s healing presence and power. We were looking away from the problem to the spiritual reality. In doing so, we felt God’s love, which prevented fear and illumined our view with divine Truth. 

About 45 minutes after leaving us, the doctor returned to say that the second set of X-rays showed that the shoulder was now set, and there was no evidence of broken ribs or other injuries, so no surgery would be needed. What a turnaround! The doctor could not account for this beautiful reversal and suggested that we check with a specialist. We did so, and the good news was verified.

As you might imagine, I’ve treasured this experience as proof that God is right with us, always providing the real, spiritual sense of things. We can consciously turn from the hypnotic pull of a problem and give our attention to the spiritual universe of God’s creating, which Christian Science reveals. 

Like Christ Jesus, we can look up and let the light of Truth show us the harmony, health, abundance, and love God is expressing right where a difficulty seems to be. This spiritually enlightened view corrects and governs the situation.

It’s good to know we’re not alone in our efforts to turn to God. Actually, the healing Christ—God’s message of love to His creation—is already active and present in human consciousness, comforting, guarding, and advocating for us. Its love attracts us to it. Its harmony quiets fear. Its authority silences discord. 

The Christ, which Jesus fully embodied and which supported his unparalleled career, is with us here today. The Science behind Jesus’ ministry was revealed to Mrs. Eddy’s receptive, searching thought over a century and a half ago and is explained clearly in Science and Health. Study of this book along with the Bible reveals the divine laws that support and sustain the healing and redemption of mankind.

The Bible tells us, “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). We can do this. We can turn away from the mirage of evil and let the spiritual reality of good have our attention. This reality is always present to be discerned. And loving God, good, with our whole heart, we are infinitely blessed.