Interpreted spiritually, the Bible can always be used as a basis for healing, and its truths applied to any situation. So, in wanting to overcome a bad disposition a number of years ago, I prayerfully turned to my Bible to find an answer.

As I read the story of David and the Philistine giant, Goliath, I remembered Mrs. Eddy's statement in Science and Health: "In this revolutionary period, like the shepherd-boy with his sling, woman goes forth to battle with Goliath." ^{Science and Health, p. 268.} I felt a bit as though I were that woman! Applying each verse of the Bible account to dispel the Goliath of bad disposition, I was refreshed and uplifted.

In the story, Goliath appeared towering and overpowering—with brassy armor and brassy national pride. The Israelites "were dismayed, and greatly afraid." ^{I Sam. 17:11.} And when David heard Goliath's taunts, he saw grown men run from the bully.

Since David as a shepherd had overcome a bear and a lion, he was confident of his ability to subdue Goliath. He even refused heavy armor. He knew that the power of God was with him. David ran to meet the Philistine; a sling and smooth stone dropped the giant.

Is our human nationality supposed to include a bad temper, impatience, or insensitivity as its characteristics? Do we make excuses for such flaws or justify an indulgence in them? If so, the time has come to resolutely turn from them and express loveliness, congeniality, good temper, and patience—qualities more representative of our true, spiritual nature.

God is All-in-all. His love fills all consciousness. As we grow more obedient to the Father, we begin to notice the error we are expressing. When error is exposed, it sometimes produces dismay.

In such cases do we shrink from facing the error as the Israelites shrank from Goliath? Rather than run from or ignore it, should we not overcome it? "Christian Science never healed a patient without proving with mathematical certainty that error, when found out, is two-thirds destroyed, and the remaining third kills itself," ^{Miscellaneous Writings, p. 210.} declares Mrs. Eddy.

Restoration begins when we are meek enough to admit that we need healing. Acknowledging our identity as beloved of God, we declare the nothingness of a bad disposition. Since God does not have a bad temper, man cannot have it. By affirming our oneness with God—and our real nature as His reflection—we begin to express His qualities more completely. Thus we overcome our opponent.

Healing ourselves of a particular Goliath—bad disposition, envy, jealousy, pride, whatever the challenge—blesses us infinitely. It increases our ability to think and act rightly.

A mental foe cannot be banished with material means but must be vanquished with spirituality. Material ways do not heal, though they may lull thought into inactivity or excite fear. Resort to psychology, psychiatry, hypnotism, or tranquilizer drugs dishonors God and deters demonstration, just as using King Saul's awkward armor would have been a hindrance to David. We trust in God as a spiritual defense.

David had a staff for support. Our staff is an unwavering conviction of man's inseparability from God. We can choose our own "smooth stones," specific truths that will nullify evil—including a bad disposition.

When a specific Goliath-trait claims to be powerful and unbeatable, we may feel overwhelmed. But evil is not a cause; it has no justification. Understanding that God is the only cause reverses the claim that evil has power to make us seem mortal. Our actual unity with God as His ideas annuls the evil characteristics claiming to be our nature. In reality, all we are is the reflection of Father-Mother God. Divine law, the Science of being, annihilates the belief in a law of human heredity. Our true nature is spiritual, expressing the sweetness, gentleness, and strength of divine Love. These truths free us to be kind, loving, and considerate to others. Through this purification we are able to reflect more fully the essential uprightness and perfection of the real, spiritual man.

Disdain, pride, or superiority, based on the belief of life in matter, may prompt us to speak sharply or be brusque to others and then be constantly sorry for something we have said. This Goliath of a bad disposition is self-based rather than God-established, as are all Goliaths. When this error is discerned correctly, it may seem temporarily to become more audacious than ever. But personal sense does not govern man. Principle, Love, does! We can have dominion over our tongues, thoughts, and actions. God is on our side, as He was on David's. Through spiritual understanding we can answer error with moral courage, God-ordained humility, and fearlessness. Science has inaugurated the irrepressible conflict between sense and Soul. "Mortal thought wars with this sense as one that beateth the air, but Science outmasters it, and ends the warfare," writes Mrs. Eddy. "This proves daily that 'one on God's side is a majority.'" ^{Ibid., p. 102.}

Let us run forward to meet whatever Goliath we need to conquer. Let us sling our "smooth stones" of truth with accuracy, so that the error falls to the earth—the nothingness of materiality—from whence it came. Let us base all our thoughts, desires, motives, and actions on the Christ, and on the high purpose of serving God. Then, as Christ Jesus showed us, our lives will be God-centered rather than self-centered, emitting brotherly kindness based on the Golden Rule. The Goliath of bad disposition will lose its power to frighten, dismay, or condemn us. We will prevail!