Frequently in discussions on world affairs one hears the statement made, "We are living in a changing civilization," or, "Everything is in a state of flux." Life seems to many people to be rather experimental. Decisions often are made on a tentative basis. This is seen in international diplomacy as well as in the activities of individuals. The steps taken by one nation are conditioned by the moves of another. Suspicion of the motives of one or of the other often restrains both. Free interchange of confidence, leading to wise and peaceful decisions, seems difficult to attain.

Many individuals are restlessly looking for a change of occupation, home, or location to bring about the more settled and abundant sense of living which is called the full life. Whether universal or individual, such a restless state of mind is the result of considering life from the basis of human living instead of man's spiritual existence. Does God change? Is His law ever in a state of flux? The answer is obviously, "No." The progressive unfolding of God's law in the life of man must be in accord with His nature. This continuous unfoldment is humanly manifested in progressive, constructive developments in science, in art, and in all fields of human endeavor, including the individual's own experience. However, God's work is in reality done, because it has existed forever. Referring to the eternality of the Christ, Jesus said(John 8:58), "Before Abraham was, I am." Truth might be thought of as declaring, "Throughout eternity, I am," since the true idea of Life and man never began and will never end.

A sculptor working with a piece of stone senses the intactness of the finished work of art, even though his hands may take time to work it out. Michelangelo made this plain when he said, "The statue is contained in the stone from the beginning in its finished state, and is merely laid bare by the chisel, as one strips the husk from the kernel." There is the masterpiece poised and enduring, hidden from the sight of the layman, but standing clear and whole to the discerning thought of the artist. His sensitivity permits him to see through the superfluous shell of hard, lifeless matter and guides his hand to "penetrate to the figure in the deeps of the stone." So also the Christian Scientist recognizes the perfect man of God's creating, complete from the beginning, when "God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good" (Gen. 1:31).

If one believes that he is seeing a fearful, unhappy, poor, sick, or sinful mortal, instead of the perfect spiritual man, what he sees is but an ignorant misconception of the human senses. He has only to turn away from material sense testimony and heed the advice of our wise Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, who writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 407), "Let the perfect model be present in your thoughts instead of its demoralized opposite." In the degree this is done he will see manifested the wholeness of God's man, who is always free, upright, happy, and he will feel entirely confident of his spiritual well-being.

The demonstration of spiritual truth does not take a long time for its accomplishment, since time is itself a mortal measurement, not a spiritual idea. Recognizing man's spiritual wholeness is a spontaneous, joyous activity. We all have the God-bestowed ability to keep the perfect model always before our gaze. There is in reality no stubborn and restrictive material thinking, apathy to Truth, or resistance to Mind to hide man's spiritually complete stature or obscure the eternal purity of his being.

In the revelation of our true nature, fresh vistas open before us. Where there may have seemed to be a lack of clarity as to a decision to make, we see the wise course presenting itself as the correct and satisfying way. We find that God's way is the only way to be taken. Actually there is no choice of directions or courses to pursue. There is only one Mind, and therefore only one decision.

Everyone is seeking the manifestation of his whole, spiritual being. For example, a person with a physical problem longs to see himself as well. The well state, however, cannot be looked forward to as a change to be made in the future. The state of health or wholeness is now, because it is the real, God-constituted state of man. Let us not put off healing. If we think that we are going to be well sometime later, we admit a passage of time, which necessitates an accompanying admission of growing older. This would imply that our loving Father, the great Physician, is guilty of saving, "You may become well, but you must accept time as a factor in gaining health." This He could not and surely would not do. Our Father knows His own completeness, which is permanent now. He knows no process of working up to perfection or down from it into senility or weakness. Therefore man is neither young nor old, but is ever expressing the freshness and wholeness which are natural to God's expression.

What a glorious thing it is to realize in a measure, and experience, the fullness of man's being! How could man ever be lonely? To be alone is really to be "all one" with God, Life and Love. No merely human companionship can give the pure peace and joy of conscious at-one-ment with infinite being, though in their harmony and mutual understanding right human relationships may hint the actuality of spiritual unity. The divine completeness has been established from the beginning, and can never be sundered, and the realization of this truth cannot be withheld.

God with a single command created male and female, as recorded in the book of Genesis. Therefore the spiritually created man must be this compound idea, which includes the masculine qualities of strength, protection, truth, and also the feminine characteristics of tenderness, understanding, and love. All these divinely beautiful qualities exist in the full expression of the Father-Mother God, the "adorable One" (Science and Health, p. 16), and are consequently manifested in the wholeness of spiritual sonship. In this revelation of man's individuality no suggestion of lack, lonesomeness, incompleteness, unfulfilled desire, or frustration can appear.

One sometimes hears the wistful remark that many experiences are more pleasant in anticipation than in fulfillment. The reason for such disappointments is that negative mortal mind can never provide that which truly satisfies. In reality, there is not a long road up to happiness or success, for God's plan is already complete. As we accept joyfully the perfect selfhood of man, God's likeness, which we truly are in divine Science, and let go of the human concept, Mrs. Eddy's beautiful prophecy (ibid., p. 264) will open before our eyes, "As mortals gain more correct views of God and man, multitudinous objects of creation, which before were invisible, will become visible."

The objects of God's creation are fresh and satisfying. Restlessness and insecurity, striving and doubt, both in world affairs and in individual problems, are quieted by the calm acceptance of divine Love's allness and all-inclusiveness. We can feel serene and secure in the consciousness that unlimited good is already prepared for man. In the words of the Preacher (Eccl. 3: 15), "That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past."