No random error

August 3, 2020 | 39 comments

A while ago, my back suddenly started giving me grief for no apparent reason. When I lifted boxes or turned in certain directions, pain would shoot through my body and cause me to freeze up and not dare to move any further for fear of more pain.

I jumped on this with prayer, wanting it resolved quickly.

As I turned to God for healing truth, the first words that came to me were, “No random error.”

I did a brief mental search as to why this back pain suddenly appeared, and there was no apparent reason. I hadn’t done anything strenuous or out of the ordinary. The trouble seemed to come out of nowhere.

“No random error,” the healing message came again.

As I listened for insight as to what God was trying to tell me, I noted that a large portion of public thought right now is believing in random error, that bad things can happen out of nowhere, without warning. Most specifically, in the form of infection from the coronavirus. I wasn’t afraid of the coronavirus, but then I remembered that I was healed of a serious back problem many years ago, and perhaps I had a slight lingering doubt in the back of consciousness that it could happen again. That evil could randomly catch me by surprise, without warning, and cause me a back problem again, which is what seemed to happen.

So, I challenged the suggestion of random error!

I prayed to see that God was the Principle of my being and was predictable good, that everything about my life was determined by God, not by random error, and was certain to always be good, healthy, and supportive of Life without limit. There is no random error, I declared with conviction and confidence!

As I found my peace with this truth, I dressed for a tennis match that evening. My back was still giving me grief, but while driving to the match, I stayed convicted of my harmonious spiritual being sustaining me as always, with only predictably good things happening to it. There was no random error taking up residence in my life, I insisted!

And honestly, that was the last I thought about the issue until a week later when I realized the back problem had vanished sometime that evening.

I’m grateful to see more clearly that we don’t have to accept random evil in our lives. We can live out God’s predictable good!

“They will call on My name, And I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people’; And each one will say, ‘The Lord is my God’ ” (Zechariah 13:9, NKJV).

39 thoughts on “No random error”

  1. I have been praying to allow my wife and I to take 2 hours ferry boat From Seattle to Victoria Canada for annual afternoon tea. Canada border is still closed due coronavirus.

    1. Perhaps this year a different and equaĺly delightful celebration is in order. Watch for this new opportunity and enjoy!

    2. Dear Willy, perhaps this year God will guide you to find a beautiful way to have your tea and happiness too, in the USA? With Love there us always a wonderful way, even if it wasn’t exactly the one you wanted.

    3. You are always in your right place. The US/ Canada border closure is a practical measure that provides the same protective action as “Stand porter at the door of thought.” Our governments are acting out of principle, with well-being as a top priority. Stay at home and enjoy your afternoon tea.

  2. That’s so powerful and applicable to so many erroneous suggestions. Just reading it gave me peace too. So grateful Evan

  3. Lovely demonstration, Evan. No, no random error. Mrs Eddy says: “The divine Mind that made man maintains His own image and likeness.” S&H p 151. Has random error got into the divine Mind?

  4. Wow Evan…this will help me as I deal with a recurring erroneous problem. Thank you for another wonderful start to the day ❣️

  5. Beautifully put, Evan. U never called the back pain, yours…
    You never claimed the lie about you as your own thinking.
    Evil suggestion is tricky that way.
    Thank you for another wonderful insight. Each day I look forward to your inspiration and help.

    1. Such a good insight, Shirley. And, Evan, thanks for something that specifically meets my needs. And gives a good “template” for future prayer.

  6. Yes, the world’s material perspective of negatively cannot creep in unexpectedly if we keep our focus on God as the ONLY cause and creator! Right on for me this morning Evan. So, thankful for your insights.

  7. Thank you Evan and all. I will take this with me today and forward. There is no random error, only Gods predictable good. What a wonderful view of life.

  8. Thank you Evan
    Sometimes I think of random as an unplanned event… no unplanned event can enter my being or the plan of God’s day

  9. So grateful to be reminded of this important fact, and to see it applied to physical claims.
    At least 10 years ago, I needed to see this for some of the random claims of evil in technology (computers, glitches, hackers, etc). Which, of course, is just as relevant today.
    I have this permanent note posted on my desk:
    NO RANDOM DISORDER OR EVIL. (“Everything in God’s universe expresses Him.” SH)
    SOLUTIONS EXIST FOR EVERYTHING.
    CS TREATMENT IS COMPLETE.
    Thanks again, Evan for your completeness in all your posts, especially this one.

    1. Hi Susannah. Thank you for sharing the powerful truth on your note. And thank you to Evan for always standing guard on his thinking!!

  10. Evan,
    Thank you, I like this perspective; 🙂
    “I prayed to see that God was the Principle of my being and was predictable good, that everything about my life was determined by God, not by random error, and was certain to always be good, healthy, and supportive of Life without limit.”
    It can be tempting to believe in “random error” when hearing “the news” perspective. It might be media or it might be an acquaintance that is sharing something about their life. This is helpful because if they are starting by believing a lie about life and holding onto and building off that, their choices might be very different than what someone who believes in good may make. It boils down to what they are believing as the “Truth.” And, I can apply that to myself and what am I believing about my life and my health! Very helpful today – thank you! 🙂

  11. Evan, that was beautiful! Thank you for always giving us just what we need! You are always so very helpful!

  12. Evan,- such a wonderful model for quick and effective prayerful treatment! You immediately rejected the mental intrusion, saw it as an erroneous suggestion, – briefly searched thought for the deceptive cause, then targeted the lie with specific powerful spiritual Truth. Then you continued on in spite of physical sense testimony, expecting only good, with confidence in God’s consistent harmonious government and everprecent Love. Your excellent example is a boost to my prayerful work, — A powerful antidote to claims of random error. Also, so grateful for the insights from loving readers.

  13. Great post ! I am looking for an old lecture : ” God, not chance” – author : Norman Holmes, I am looking for the text not the audio, Any help will be most appreciated ! thank you

  14. Thank you Evan. I love how you explained your thought process of uncovering the error that needed to be handled. We are often taught in Christian Science not to look for a “cause” in matter or some material condition. But you wrote:

    “I did a brief mental search as to why this back pain suddenly appeared, and there was no apparent reason.”

    That is very instructive to me. Your various posts to this blog over the years, and also your “What is animal magnetism” Sentinel Watch podcast, have really helped me to understand how to zero in on the error to be handled, which can seemingly be unrelated to the problem we’re praying about. For a physical problem, previously I would always try to reverse the physical claim in my prayers, but now I try to “listen” as you described you did in this case to discover the “leading error” that needs to be handled. It occurred to me that process is what Mrs. Eddy meant by this statement from S&H:

    Anatomy, when conceived of spiritually, is mental self-knowledge, and consists in the dissection of thoughts to discover their quality, quantity, and origin.
    (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 462:20–22)

    So thanks again and thanks also to all of the contributors that share wonderful truths via this blog.

    I was happy to see a written transcript of the “What is animal magnetism?” podcast in the August Journal. When listening to the podcast a few times I remember thinking it would be nice to have that in writing…well now we do.

    I also found a Sentinel article entitled “Mental Anatomy” that I thought I’d share that can be accessed via the link below.

    https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/96erur1dvc?s=e

  15. What a great post (and unfolding succession of thoughts) and example on facing the foe, which, even if it seems to have gotten past the porter at the door of thought into some semblance of being real, is STILL error in thought and so to be handled there.
    Many thanks!

  16. Brian, thanks a million ! you cannot imagine how long I tried to find this lecture, I am very grateful ! nobody knows this site down here, sure I will share it with my fellow church members.

  17. Oh I wish I could hear as well as Evan. Answers, spiritually, are there in infinite numbers. But to hear them, To know which ones are from God, not mortal mind. That is the quest. Any suggestions are welcomed.

    1. Hi Joan, I think “humility” is the key to hearing God. Being able to put self-interest, self-will, etc. aside allows us to be open to God’s messages, which always exist but can seemed to be drowned out by listening instead to sense testimony, a preconceived idea of what WE think should happen, etc. Here’s an article that illustrates the deep and sincere humility that allows us to hear God’s good ideas that bless us..

      https://journal.christianscience.com/shared/view/2gps7amd25a?s=e

  18. Thank you very much Evan for your wonderful demonstration, you made and the thoughts leading to that healing.
    Thank you Brian, that you always give us the links so that we can open and read it , that’s amazing.:) xx

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