The most remarkable man who was ever on earth, Christ Jesus, solved everyday problems in unique ways. His spiritual sense pierced through humanly insurmountable challenges. To him, lack was an impossibility.

What examples he set for us! For instance, he obtained money to pay the temple tax in an unheard-of manner. During a conversation with Peter on the subject, Jesus told him, "Go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee." ^{Matt. 17:27.}

We can learn from Jesus' deeds and parallel them so far as our understanding stretches. Jesus knew God to be the source of all good. Good is present, great, and limitless, the supreme law to every circumstance.

Recently I had a problem that seemed unsolvable. A month was approaching in which three expenses totaling over one thousand dollars must be met. Although my job paid me adequately, I did not have that much money, and I began feeling very poor, even disliking to spend much for food. Reasoning from a material standpoint, I could see no solution. My impoverished concept of the situation seemed to block my receptivity to ever-present good so that I procrastinated instead of seeking solutions.

As one perceives God's omnipotence and completeness, he learns that he need not worry or feel limited, because limitation is no part of his true identity as God's idea. The good bestowed by God is continuous. No blockage can stop its natural flow to man.

One afternoon a friend who is also a Christian Science practitioner crossed my path. As we chatted, I told him of my concern about my financial situation.

"Just look in the fish's mouth," he said as we parted.

This prompted me to remember that since God includes all good, it was all mine as His reflection. I must turn away from trusting in material resources and look to God, the only real source of good.

I struggled out of my static state and began to face the problems. First, a plane ticket for a necessary trip was purchased. That done, I inquired into the payment of the car insurance and learned that it would not be due for several weeks. I obtained information regarding the moving of my furniture from another state. These steps taken, I awaited the next one. Shortly thereafter, divine Mind provided a version of the "fish's mouth," the originality of which inspired me.

I suddenly asked myself, where did my supply come from, anyway? Was I depending on my salary, a bank account, or a nest egg? Wasn't my understanding of God my real avenue for good? God's qualities are innumerable, more than the sands in the sea, and are to be pondered and used. These same qualities open up new ideas to work with. "God gives you His spiritual ideas," Mrs. Eddy says in Miscellaneous Writings, "and in turn, they give you daily supplies." ^{Mis., p. 307.} I perceived that the qualities and ideas of God could be infinitely expressed, and my efforts to manifest them would supply me day by day.

What was my real need? It seemed to be large sums of money.

I found it wasn't that at all. In Science and Health Mrs. Eddy tells us, "What we most need is the prayer of fervent desire for growth in grace, expressed in patience, meekness, love, and good deeds." ^{Science and Health, p. 4.} My real need was to pray to grow in grace! Grace is evidence of our progressive expression of the Christ. Throughout Jesus' mission on earth he expressed this grace. He presented the utmost patience, sublime meekness, tender love, and he performed unsurpassed deeds of healing.

I saw, then, that understanding God would help me to express grace and would provide what I most needed. Referring to the healing in Christian Science of cases not cured by other means, Mrs. Eddy explains, "All this is accomplished by the grace of God,—the effect of God understood." ^{Christian Science versus Pantheism, p. 10.}

To grow in grace is really to gain a deeper understanding of God. If that was what I needed to heal my belief of acute lack, I was willing!

Near the opening of the Second Epistle of Peter is a list of qualities we are to add one upon another in our endeavors to be Christlike. "If these things be in you, and abound," we are promised, "they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." ^{II Pet. 1:8.} And of abounding, Paul writes, "God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work." ^{II Cor. 9:8.}

If grace, like all of God's qualities, abounds toward us (comes from Him in great quantities), we will have ample means and abundant blessings for ourselves and also for sharing those blessings with others. We possess grace and activate this attribute only by using it. Thus our abundance becomes others' sufficiency as well as our own.

One gray morning it occurred to me that God has an abundance of patience, which is evidence of grace, and His abundance is infinite. In my real being as His reflection I also have an infinite supply of this quality. That day I reasoned with the thought that I had an abundance of patience, that it was present to use for my task at hand—that of typing for seven hours. My work was accurate and more effortless that day than ever before. I then understood better the Bible verse, "Let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." ^{James 1:4.}

I felt rich with a new, treasured thought and more understanding of God. The fish's mouth had been opened! From then on I took a quality of God each day and claimed it for my abundance. Working thus, I was not surprised one week to receive two unexpected checks in the mail. My thanks went to God. More love and sincere friendships appeared in my life. I thanked God for them. Bountifulness in many forms, including free, fresh garden vegetables all summer, came to me. Again, it was God I thanked for His love. (I thanked the giver, too.) A beautiful home became mine.

So it went on and on, and continues. The furniture came, the car insurance was paid, but the temporary drain on the finances did not daunt me. I saw that, with thought opened wide to accept God's goodness, I could never again lack or be poor in my thinking.

The Father of all loves each of us equally, and His abundance is all-inclusive. We can partake of as much as we are ready to accept. We can dwell on God's virtues, ponder them, understand them more deeply. We can claim them as ours by reflection, entertain them as we perform our daily work, and be grateful for them.

Through Christ, God gives us all we need, and we obtain this good in the proportion that we accept spiritual reality. One may find it difficult to realize the reality of intangible things, which he cannot either feel or see. However, God's abundance comes to us as inspired thoughts, which are unlimited. Spiritual sense enables us to perceive and to use these ideas in order to fill our needs.

Expressing God's qualities and ideas makes one feel very wealthy indeed, for it brings a sense of completeness and closeness to God as well as a better understanding of Him. By following my friend's advice and opening the fish's mouth, I discovered that I had actually opened my thought to accept what had been present all the time! You can, too.