There’s a lot of confusion and disarray in the public consciousness these days about what to expect in the future. Many people worry about what the pandemic will bring and where the economy is headed. Thousands are staging frequent protests around the world in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, and then there’s rioting and destruction of property that has come into the mix. One may begin to wonder, “What next?”
I’ve had several patients in my practice recently who have called in great distress over something physically ailing them, but as we talked about their situation it became apparent to me that their ailment was not physical at all. They were mentally picking up on distress and tension they felt in the public consciousness about recent events in the news. Once we prayed together for their peace of mind to remain intact as a reflection of the divine Mind, and not influenced by public events, their inner stress vanished, and physical healing came.
Which is why I’m writing this blog!
It’s wise to daily defend our thought from outside mental intrusion, to be sure that confusion and disarray “out there” doesn’t become confusion and disarray “in here.”
Mary Baker Eddy wrote, “The inoculation of evil human thoughts ought to be understood and guarded against”
(Science and Health, p. 449).
It is wise to guard consciousness against all suggestions of evil. God is all power! God is omnipotent good.
Be sure to greet any news coming from the public arena, with a clear and convicted understanding of God’s omnipotence over the world and Love’s omnipresence to keep one safe and protected from all harm.
Don’t be impressed with evil!
Don’t let mortal mind inoculate your thought with error you do not wish to live out.
Know the omnipresence of good and stay healthy.
This is such a powerful post and one I am going to keep with me. I have been hearing the same things said not just by friends, but by hearing people talking in shops, cafes, etc. “when is this going to end”. “will we ever get back to normal”. “will it come back again”. All mental intrusion to be guarded against, as you say Evan. I am so grateful to you for these daily blogs which keep us on the right path and help and heal.
Yes, thank you Linda, I also will keep this wonderfully clear SpiritView of Evan with me. I am also very grateful to Evan for keeping us awake to the divine Truth during this special time. Gladly here in Germany, at least in Hamburg, we don`t hear too much “what will be hereafter”, because our government loosens restrictions step be step. Restaurants opened with some restrictions, school starts again after the vacation and churches start again with their services with some restrictions, our CS branchchurch, too.
As Evan says, it is important to pray instantly for the world and daily defending our thought from outside intrusion to be guarded against.
Thank you very much Evan for your helping us daily with your precious SpiritView blog!
Thank you Evan. I truly needed this message.
I, too, am so grateful for these blogs every day! I don’t comment too much, but I read all of the comments too, and they are so helpful. Thank you, Evan, for this particular one. It is so timely.
What a timely and appropriate conversation. This needs to fill one’s daily thoughts. Thanks Evan.
Thank you Evan – that really is so helpful. Indeed must pray more for peace of mind.
I, too, am so grateful for these blogs every day! I don’t comment too much, but I read all of the comments too, and they are so helpful. Thank you, Evan, for this particular one. It is so timely.
Oops….my comment posted twice. Sorry about that
Evan, thank you so much for this statement:
“Don’t let mortal mind inoculate your thought with error you do not wish to live out.”
So helpful to apply to every situation. To not let error so impress ones thinking that it becomes part of us. I shall keep this in thought as I hear about disease, disruptions, and other concerns.
Living in Portland this is an timely post and enormously helpful.
One minor rephrasing helped me “inoculate your mind from the error of mortal mind.” Inoculate means to immunize and I was stumped on “Don’t let mortal mind inoculate your thought with error you do not wish to live out.”
“Occupy” your thought would be good too. Even a pun.
.
Jus’ my two pennys : )
Thank you Evan for all your hard work.
SpiritView provides a Christian Science Treatment every day. What a blessing it is! Thank you so much, Evan, for sending it along.
Thank God and the teachings of MBE. Evan you daily lift our thoughts and keep us surrounded by Love.
I’m so grateful I found your blog, several years ago & it has been “a Daily,” ever since.
Your daily armor of specific words helps me to “fight the good fight.” No matter what voice is trying to disturb my well-being, Truth is louder!!!
Thanks to everyone for sharing your thoughts and experiences..This truly is a time of opportunity for all of us to experience the clear confident thoughts that come from God alone..
I find great encouragement in these words of Mrs. Eddy:”My faith in God and in his followers rests in the fact that He is infinite good, and that He gives his followers opportunity to use their hidden virtues, to put practice the power which lies concealed in the calm, and which the storm awakens to vigor and to victory.” My 204:1
Thank you!
There seem to be so many hidden error-messages swirling around in these chaotic times that we must be aware of and not taken in by. Some groups that sound like a positive change for good actually want to dissolve family, demolish religious beliefs, demoralize those who would help others and take away freedoms. This chaos and violence is truly a war between Good and evil. Evil slyly tries to creep into our thinking on false pretenses and we must be adamant against it, more than ever… to stay on guard, keeping out thoughts that would harm our goals towards a peaceful, just, harmonious world of unification with one Mind, Soul, Spirit, Principle, Life, Truth and most of all, LOVE for each other.
Thank you so much Evan, for this pertinent topic and to the very helpful commenters who help to heal with such positive thoughts.
Evan,
Thank you for this wake up call. Mrs Eddy says “The baneful effect of evil associates is less seen than felt.” S&H Pg 449:19-20
The Bible says “Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
Avoid it, pass by it, turn from it, and pass away.
For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” Proverbs 4:14-18
Truly helpful and timely post Evan. It’s so comforting to know that despite the material picture we may be dealing with we know that ‘life and intelligence are purely spiritual, neither in nor of matter.’ MBE. Our constant being is protected and perfect in Divine Love.❣️
Evan,
I want to further comment that to innoculate is to put the sickness into the body to build up an immunity instead of to stand porter at the door of thought and bar the door against such thoughts. One must discern these thoughts and kick them out! Having virtue naturally does this and we are repulsed by anything not virtuous and naturally kick it out. God is all good but not every thought is God-like so thinking All is Good will allow thoughts to enter that should be barred.
Oh Dear Evan and SpritViewers. I experienced this very thing on Wednesday. For a night and day I wrestled with confusion, fear, imbalance; it was a mighty battle, and at times I felt I would lose…. I was praying as best I could, listening to Christian Science podcasts and audio articles, trying to still the tempest in my mind. I took myself to church, but in the middle of the service felt I was either going to faint, or pass on, so I moved to the lobby, where the usher comforted me, and I sat and listened to the rest of the service, finding some peace. After the service, a member came and sat near me and I asked her to recount her testimony, which I hadn’t quite heard. She had spoken of ‘gravitating upward to the Light’ inspired by a concert entitled “Gravitating to the Light” and that it is only on earth that the law of gravity is in effect. The solar system gravitates to the Sun! Our sun- our constant Source, Light, is God. Our natural attraction is toward this Light. Eventually I found the peace which comes declaring the certainty that I do not have a separate mind which can be confused by conflicting and terrorizing forces, but my mind is the Mind of Christ. Invincible. Stay strong and centered on God! Thank you, Evan, for your healing SpritViews, and to the beautiful SpiritView family, our Support Team!
Thank you, I too prayed about confusion and received the answer of there being only one Mind. I was then able to realize that what goes on outside of Spirit, Love, is washed away because it has no staying power – its an illusion. But constant work is needed until error is destroyed by Truth and Love. Progress is the law of God. Evan’s blog was helpful in my realization what seems physical is actually mental – a false sense, an illusion. My health is improving which was only a need for spiritual light.
Evan, thank you for sharing this timely and actionable post.The reference from Science and Health was one that I was not familiar with, but which led me to three additional “links” in Science and Health, in which our dear Leader Mary Baker Eddy strengthens our armor against the “fiery darts” of evil suggestion:
“Ignorance of the error to be eradicated oftentimes subjects you to its abuse.” (SH 446:31)
“Your belief militates against your health, when it ought to be enlisted on the side of health.”(SH 168:8)
“The Christian Scientist has enlisted to lessen evil, disease, and death; and he will overcome them by understanding their nothingness and the allness of God, or good.” (SH: 450:19–22)
These truths are just a few among the many interlinked rings in the impenetrable chain mail of our “Armor of divinity” (MH 571:15)
Thankfully, as a result of our study and application the truths found in the Bible and our Christian Science, textbook, “… we have the mind of Christ” / …the whole armor of God ”which equips us with the ability to confidently engage and overcome the enemy by “bringing every thought ito the obedience of Christ; (II Corinthians 10:5).
Thank you for your call to arms!
Yes, thank you Evan and all for reminding us of the importance and blessing to guard against mental intrusion.
Every few weeks, I allow myself to watch the world news on television ~~~ thinking it will not bother me. In the past I managed to just allow myself to be informed of current events.
Well, that ship has sailed since I always find myself really annoyed with almost every topic and especially with the commercials.
After going in my private space and praying, I find the annoyance passes very quickly thank God. But I do ask myself if there will ever be a time I am able to watch the news again…
Seek out the Monitor Daily Digital for the news–thoughtful clear reporting with out sensation.
I particularly love this particular Evan’s message and all of the wonderful messages on this blog…specifically “Don’t be impressed with evil!”
This brings to mind Unity of Good, “Rectifications”, p. 20
[Copy and Paste quote from p. 20]
“By a reverse process of argument evil must be de-
throned: —
12 First: God never made evil.
Second: He knows it not.
Third: We therefore need not fear it.
15 Try this process, dear inquirer, and so reach that per-
fect Love which “casteth out fear,” and then see if this
Love does not destroy in you all hate and the sense of evil.
18 You will awake to the perception of God as All-in-all. ”
Dethrone the argument of evil with the mental insistence of Love’s present being constancy, clarity and absolute certainty.
Should have been “Love’s presence…” above rather than “Love’s present” …thx.
Evan, thank you for all your wonderful posts. I have been using them for a long time and they are always inspiring. Kirsten’s post was very helpful to me. I have been devastated by seeing the killing of innocent people with impunity, and could barely think because it was so disturbing. I began to spend hours and hours in prayer looking for some kind of comfort. I can honestly say prayer heals. To search the Holy Scriptures and Mrs. Eddy’s writings is to find the Truth which heals. For instance I found the social and political problems found in the Bible were corrected by the Christ, or the understanding of spiritual good. I don’t think we will leave this era behind without a lot of spiritual growth. I am encourage to see that so many people are pitching in.
Sometimes things are so bad, you can’t ask the question or talk about it. But I am grateful for all good. Thanks ,Evan, for your help.
This maybe most obvious, but we are all in charge of the “news”reports and sources we choose to take in. We are curating our experience every moment. I love that Christian Science is prophylactic as well as therapudic. Starting with and staying with the truth of being, as we are taught, handles error at its attempted inception; like: “His arm encircles, me and mine and all.” “If there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things,” Penny
” Life and being are of God. “, our lesson tells us this week. Confusion doesn’t have a chance!
“Eddy insists that it is essential to begin to understand the unreality of matter in order to demonstrate the unreality of evil. Evil is based in the belief of the existence of matter, but .. it’s an illusion.” [CS Journal, May 2020, “Water on the road”, Theodore Arrington:
https://journal.christianscience.com/shared/view/1abti1j08pi?s=e
When we’re tempted to feel overwhelmed by evil, we can choose to stop, listen, sing hymns, pray. How can we feel overwhelmed by a lie, when we can choose to remain grateful for all the Good expressed, including gratitude for God, Christ Jesus, Mary Baker Eddy, all the healers in the Bible, Science and Health and CS publications including our CS Hymnal and CS Journal and Sentinel, our CS Churches, CS Practitioners and Teachers, this blog…
Wow, thank you Angie and how right you are. Rather, instead of fearing all what people say presently our business is to be deeply grateful for all the good God gave and gives us steadily! That heals !!!
My heart felt thanks goes out to all who are devoting there mental efforts to stay with the allness of God the moment they awake. There is so much help in the internet with all of the outreach coming from the divine source. We all live in the realm of our consciousness, No one can invade it as it is the one place where, with God’s power right at hand, we hold complete control.
Each day I find peace first and then go to the Father to see if there is someone who needs to hear the Truth and the Principle of God’s laws at that moment. This willingness to help starts my day. My daughter in another state is a new grandmother and loves to watch her new grand daughter while her son and his wife work online. We read parts of the daily Bible Lesson to each other and the babe on her lap listens!
I look for where God leads me to serve others by praising the divine Father/Mother/God of us all. There are so many dear ones out there needing a listening ear for the voice of Truth to assure them they are not alone.
“Truth is always the Victor.”
~Mary Baker Eddy
Knowing this, and knowing that Mrs. Eddy knew and proved it conclusively,
let us not spend time during the seeming battle wondering if Truth will win it.
A foregone conclusion: “Truth is always the Victor.”
Dear Evan, thank you for sharing your wise admonitions from a practice that is the highest mission on earth, and for the leaven of Truth you bring to a frightened world.
In Misc Writings pg. 277 MBEddy says “Falsehood is on the winds, but Truth will soar above it. Truth is speaking louder, clearer, and more imperatively than ever. Error is walking to and fro in the earth, trying to be heard above Truth, but its voice dies out in the distance……………. “Justice waits, and is used to waiting: and right wins the everlasting victory.”
All of the comments today have been so helpful. What a God sent blessing this forum is!!
I like “Love’s present” a love gift for everyone.”
I should have said, Love’s presence, is a
present, Love given.to everyone.
Thank you for your guidance in this time of uncertainty. It’s grand to hear the position to take regarding the tumultuous display of fearful thinking. Continually in front of every avenue we walk.
Having to listen every step of the way for God’s direction.
Humbly wearing masks, doing unto other’s as we would have them do unto us.
Everyone looking for the day of liberation from the claims and beliefs in a power apart from God.
Returning to a “normal” time.
We are indeed free right now, when we walk in the spirit instead of in matter. Being a good neighbor, and going forward fearless while using the truth as our guide.
Many thanks to all for today’s Super, Spirit View.
I really like Mrs. Eddy’s thought to “Keep your minds so filled with Truth and Love, that sin, disease and death cannot enter them. It is plain that nothing can be added to the mind already full. . . .All whom your thoughts rest upon are thereby benefited.” We know this will benefit all of us (rather than repetitive news) as we keep our thoughts filled with good!
Thank you Evan for all of your blogs but especially this one. I have friends, non Christian Scientists, who have been complaining of fears of clinical depression brought on by all that is happening in today’s world and over the air waves via the news. I will be sending out a copy of this blog to them as i know that it will help them as it has helped me, I also love Mrs. Eddy’s thought to “Keep your minds so filled with Truth and Love, that sin, disease and death cannot enter them” (or depression!!). Thank you so much for writing your blog. I have gotten so much more out of CS just from reading them and FYI – I was born into as CS family. My Great-grandmother actually went back to Boston in 1899 and met Mrs. Eddy. Grossie converted the family from Luthern to Christian Science when she got home later that summer. My gram was a 1st reader at a christian science society on the Russian River from 1957 -1960 so I had some very good instruction at an early age. Thanks again for your wonderfu blogs.
It can be overwhelming to watch what is happening in the world I remember a teacher of mine telling me that when I was truly seeing the error I had thought as real, the error would get louder and
try to bring me back to the fold, so to speak. but error has no power, so what was going on? I feel this erroneous idea was something I had identified with for so long that it was like having a little death. When I began to see things more as thought, not substance, I was able to let it go, with some difficulty, but it did go.
I feel what we are seeing is a tremendous error coming up to be destroyed. I am always comforted by the thought that God gives us time but ultimately establishes harmony. I don’t claim to understand all of this but I am glad I have something that has proved time and time again that Good is the reality.
Thank you for this very timely and inspiring post Evan. You really have your “finger in the pulse”!
I know from decades of study, that Mrs Eddy never used word.qitjout bein sure if it’s meaning and place within the context of.her work.
I looked up “inoculate” and discivered an original meaning, “implies an imbuing or implanting with a terminal idea and often implies stealth or subtlety”.
I think she chose her word rather well, a good description of old mortal mind!
Another meaning I came across was to implant a bud from one plant into another..
Here is a link to my source of info, interesting reading https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inoculate
Please excuse all the errors . . . .
Thank you Evan for alerting us to the fact that all errors are actually mental in origin. The thought came to me today that we are not worshiping God if we are accepting evil in any form. Healing is worshipping and glorifying God, His allness, all presence,, all power, all love. Magnifying God’s goodness!
Thank you. Some nuggets to live by!!!