Meaning

It is the tendency of the human mind to attribute meaning to nearly everything – events, sensations, circumstances, etc.  This cause and effect relationship can seem like an endless loop of speculation and maybe even misinformation.

What if issues, problems, even health conditions don’t have any meaning?  That may be a startling proposition, but consider with me for a moment that there is only one true Cause and effect.  Imagine how freeing that might be!  For example, what if that sharp pain in your body doesn’t mean anything?  Or something that happened in your childhood?  Or losing your job?  Wouldn’t you be relieved?  Wouldn’t fear be eliminated?

What if all the drama of day to day living was just a distraction obscuring an eternal spiritual solution that safely resolved every situation?  This is how Jesus saw existence.  He wasn’t distressed about events or circumstances – not even his own.  He saw clearly – and enabled those around him to see – that every problem, no matter how big or small, could be healed.   Because the original meaning of creation was unchanged, its original goodness intact.  (see Genesis 1)

For example, to those around him, a couple of fish and very few loaves of bread meant that the multitude was about to go hungry.  But to Jesus it meant that God provides generously for all. And everyone ate and was filled. (see Matthew 14:15-21 )  To Jairus, the condition of his daughter meant that she was dying – in fact she appeared to die while Jesus was delayed in coming.  But to Jesus, all of the wailing and scorning – and even the unmoving body of the little girl – meant nothing.  Instead, Jesus found his meaning in God who is Life.  And the little girl was restored.   (see Mark 5:22-24,35-42)

What Jesus did, although seeming miraculous, was simply to understand that there was a higher truth, even a Science that actually determined meaning.  He didn’t accept the surface presentation of things; he went straight to God’s outlook – and this correct view healed deformity, disease, even death.

We can learn from Jesus’ example.  We can seek that same higher truth to tell us what’s really going on.  And in so doing, we can begin to be free from the constraints of events, sensations, and circumstances.

Melissa Hayden is a Christian Science practitioner in Salem, OR. You can find more information and additional articles at this link.  If you like what you’re reading, click the “add me” button.