Can Inflation Diminish Our Real Supply?

Inflation hits many people right where they're most vulnerable—in their wallets. They just can't stretch their money far enough to cover all their family's needs, let alone an occasional luxury.

Is it God's plan to shortchange any of us, to diminish, cut back, or withhold what we need? Not according to what we read in the Bible. For example, in Philippians we have this promise: "God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." ^{Phil. 4:19;}

The understanding that inflation can never diminish or deplete our real supply, which has its source not in things, jobs, currency, or people but in God, infinite Spirit, divine Love, opens up new ways by which we can more adequately and wisely meet our obligations and needs. And, at the same time, this realization enables us to help others break the hold that limitation or lack or any other belief of diminishing returns has on them.

Such spiritualization of thought gives us a whole new outlook on life. It draws us closer to God, and we become more aware of God's ample provision for all His creation, including man, in unlimited love and joy, ever-present peace and security. As a result, even in the midst of impoverished circumstances, we won't be so easily deceived into believing that there isn't enough of what we need. We begin to see more clearly than ever before that infinite Spirit is the inexhaustible and ever-flowing source of everything man needs, now and forever.

This is what Christ Jesus taught. He told people that they indeed did have a rich Father, who would supply all their need as they opened their hearts to understand more of the real nature of God as infinite Spirit, the undeniable source of all good. Now, this does not mean that we should ignore legitimate human needs. Jesus paid his taxes, for example, but he didn't limit his source of supply. The tax money he needed was found in the mouth of a fish! He was not depressed or impressed by how bad the economic picture seemed.

At one time Jesus said, "Take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?" ^{Matt. 6:31-33;} He was trying to stir their thought to a realization of the true source of supply. He went on to say: "Your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

And they will be, as we seek Him first, as we see that infinite Spirit is the source of all true substance, which never deteriorates, changes value, or disappears, and as we recognize that it is the unfailing source of unerring direction, genuine love and affection, permanent security, and ceaseless usefulness. This view of supply is independent of inflated prices, tight money, and even unwise economy measures, for divine Love is the inexhaustible and noncyclical source of man's very being and existence.

As we glimpse this and pray persistently to realize that man, as he is in truth, is everyone's true being, we gain a richer sense of supply in every way, whether we're going through an inflationary or recessionary period. Becoming more confident of God's ample and abundant love for us all opens our thought to a greater expectancy of good. This in turn enables us to be more receptive to an abundance of the God-granted ideas we need to meet our daily needs and obligations. Such are the teachings of Christian Science.

Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, writes: "God gives you His spiritual ideas, and in turn, they give you daily supplies. Never ask for to-morrow: it is enough that divine Love is an ever-present help; and if you wait, never doubting, you will have all you need every moment." And she continues: "What a glorious inheritance is given to us through the understanding of omnipresent Love! More we cannot ask: more we do not want: more we cannot have." ^{Miscellaneous Writings, p. 307.} I have seen proof of this, time and time again, in my family of five, as have many others I know.

A young couple I know well were once faced with a frighteningly scanty larder and hardly any money to buy food for their growing family. The man was self-employed, and their income just wasn't keeping up with their expenses. Both of them had been praying along the lines I've been talking about. They began to awake to the spiritual fact that divine Love, the source of all they really needed, was truly an ever-present help right in their experience, right when it looked as if even their barest needs and necessities would not be met.

They prayed to become more responsive to spiritual intuitions, which they knew would give them their daily supplies in human, tangible ways. There was a Christian Science lecture fifty miles away. As a result of all their prayer they felt they should go. Here was an opportunity for them to give what they could. For example, they could pray for the lecture and for the enlightenment of the community where it was being held. That didn't take money. And they could physically support the lecture by being there.

After much soul-searching to see if this was really the wisest use of their dwindling resources, they filled their car with gasoline and offered some friends a ride to the lecture. They literally took what they had—physically and spiritually—and shared it with others.

The lecture was inspiring. While there, the husband saw very clearly that lack, the opposite of the Father's abundance, was no part of God's creation. And so he really felt at peace about his family's economic situation. Soon their needs began to be taken care of most adequately. At times they were invited out, the wife became more resourceful in preparing what she had in the kitchen, and the husband was asked to help out some strangers. His services were paid for in cash, thus enabling them to get by until the husband's work picked up again.

That was the end of that kind of impoverished experience for them. They had seen that no economic picture could diminish their real supply. And since then they have always had what they needed and more, often receiving it in unusual and delightful ways. Now, this was a religious experience for them. Their love for God and man grew, and they began viewing life differently, having a greater desire to help others.

Unlimited ways to stretch humanly what we have and so better provide for ourselves and our loved ones come to light as we open our thought to all the good that God has for all His children. Perhaps we become wiser in handling the money and resources we have. Maybe we curb self-will and self-indulgence in our buying habits. We may develop new talents and abilities that open up new activities through which we can bless others.

But what is most important is that we can have a greater understanding of the source of our real supply. As we come to understand this and refuse to limit the expression of our God-derived unselfishness, resourcefulness, and ingenuity, we feel more of God's love for all mankind. We have increased opportunities—regardless of our economic situation—to help others. And we cease fearing that inflation or any other economic circumstance can diminish our real supply.