Christian Science teaches that God created all and that His creation is eternally and uninterruptedly perfect. If this fact is accepted wholeheartedly, with steadfastness, evil, whatever its form, fades into the nothingness it really is.

To illustrate: a student of Christian Science inadvertently picked up a hot iron skillet with her bare hand. Immediately the suggestion came, "I burned my hand." Instead of mesmerically accepting this as fact, she countered with the affirmation that she was spiritual. She declared that Spirit cannot be burned nor experience suffering; therefore neither could she. She completely disregarded what matter presented as irrefutable and maintained what she knew to be scientifically true.

During that moment of decision she affirmed the reality of man, made in God's image, instead of accepting what the senses asked her to believe. Because of that, she experienced not one second of discomfort nor any aftereffects of soreness or scar. Instead, her heart sang in joyous freedom at having put aside, in this instance, the bondage of physicality.

Whenever misfortune appears, there is a moment of decision. One may accept the misfortune at face value and suffer accordingly. He can, however, deny its claims upon him because of the divine authority that has been bestowed upon him as the child of God to demonstrate good's supremacy. If he decides to choose the latter— the joyous way—he should immediately deny material appearances and declare with faith the scientific truth.

Mrs. Eddy says in Science and Health (p. 397):

"When an accident happens, you think or exclaim, 'I am hurt!' Your thought is more powerful than your words, more powerful than the accident itself, to make the injury real.

"Now reverse the process. Declare that you are not hurt and understand the reason why, and you will find the ensuing good effects to be in exact proportion to your disbelief in physics, and your fidelity to divine metaphysics, confidence in God as All, which the Scriptures declare Him to be."

Not only accidents but any untoward situation can be so treated. We can refuse to accede to evil's arguments and reach out and grasp God's hand by asserting our identity as God's wholly-spiritual reflection.

Mortal mind parades before us untrue pictures of ourselves, our friends, and the world in which we live. Do we accept them? Not for one instant if we understand Science. One who knows God as omnipotent and omnipresent good understands that the Father created all perfect and spiritual. God declared His creation to be complete and wholly good. It follows, then, that all that is real must be forever orderly, governed by God's immutable law. There are no exceptions or lapses, nor is anyone ever forgotten.

Often the material senses misinform, as when the sun appears to rise and set. At such times, the educated person immediately rejects false appearances as deceptive. A Christian Scientist handles all discord similarly. He accepts the divine fact of perfect creation regardless of contrary sense evidence. If harmony is not immediately apparent, he steadfastly maintains the truth until harmony becomes manifest. It is always right to replace mentally what seems accidental, diseased, or incomplete with what is spiritually perfect, pure, complete, Godlike.

It will be remembered that when told of Lazarus' illness, Jesus replied, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God" (John 11:4). He did not wait until he had arrived at the tomb to reverse the gloomy picture; he dealt with it immediately.

No one can overemphasize the importance of spiritual alertness. Instantly, one should reject the erroneous and replace it with the true. Consistent practice of this rule allows no procrastination nor any exceptions. Being humanly good and loving or knowing about the truth is not enough. One must watchfully affirm and practice it at all times, not fearfully but joyously, with understanding prayer. He who is always on guard is he who consistently listens to God.

Divine ever-present Mind imparts its infinite wisdom to man. To the hearing ear, Mind's messages are clear. Hearing and heeding divine instruction, deciding for God's way at all times, prevent regrets, recriminations, and remorse.

Given a choice, why would anyone accept the painful and discordant? Fear, coupled with ignorance of the scientific fact, makes sensual illusion seem irresistible. Fear loses this power when it is recognized as a belief in another power equal to or greater than God. Christian Science arouses us to subdue fear through faith in Love's infinite power. "Your decisions will master you, whichever direction they take," Mrs. Eddy tells us (Science and Health, p. 392). Let them take us to the consciousness of God's omnipotence, to the awareness that where God is, there man is. This consistent appreciation of man's perpetual oneness, or unity, with God ensures our always deciding for God's presence and power.