With such an uncertain future facing Afghanistan, is there anything we can do to defend human rights and find peace for all concerned? This is the question I ask myself as the country enters a new phase after the withdrawal of foreign troops and emails continue to pour into my inbox asking for prayers for former fellow graduates and their families seeking refuge. .
Time and time again, I have found encouragement in the Bible’s assurance that we can face difficult things and still stand firm. Why? Because God, good, is present to guide: “We are troubled on all sides, but not afflicted; we are perplexed, but not desperate ”(II Corinthians 4: 8). Even where circumstances seem bleak, we have the power to find God – who “commanded the light to shine out of darkness” and “shone in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God upon them. face of Jesus Christ. . But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the excellence of the power may be from God, and not from us ”(II Corinthians 4: 6, 7).
When reports of chaos and devastation fill the news cycle, it can seem like God is missing in action. Yet any individual, anywhere – even in the midst of the most difficult situation – can turn to the Divine for direction and assurance. And the light of divine wisdom and understanding of God is ever present, shining in every heart, to guide, protect, and direct thought and action to better and peaceful ends.
It happens through the power of Christ, the divine influence that speaks to human consciousness and changes thought. It is the power that Jesus constantly realized and manifested, and taught us to perceive and follow. The stories shared in this column and other Christian Science publications illustrate how individuals around the world are proving the healing power of God today, including when faced with difficult situations. Prayer imbued with this power of Christ breaks down the mental barriers of anger, fear and confusion that would hide divine goodness and make it impossible to see solutions.
Christ opens the way for those who are in danger to be led to the sanctuary; for those who need comfort and peace to find peace and quiet; for those who perpetuate oppression and violence to begin to discover the love of God. This love of divine Love elevates the thought of a desire to control and dominate, and instead nurtures humility, peace and harmony.
Recognizing that the saving power of Christ, the Truth, can be felt even in the most remote parts of the world is not just a good thing to do to feel better. It provides a spiritual basis for taking a stand for the rights of all people, paving the way for the presence and power of Truth in the face of anything that might restrict, oppress or harm. It allows us all to let go of outdated opinions and embrace future progress for everyone. He asserts that qualities such as courage and wisdom are given by God and therefore available in abundance.
Such qualities are invaluable to the work of individuals on the front lines – like Rangina Hamidi, an Afghan woman who has promoted women’s rights. She became the first female Minister of Education in Afghanistan and pledged to stay in her country to support continued progress, especially for women (see Martin Kuz, “Looking back at Afghanistan as the past return”, CSMonitor.com, Aug.20, 2021). Opening the mind to Christ reveals powerful ways forward that are creative, limitless, and unimaginable by the human mind. As we confront the lie of any oppressive circumstance in our own lives, it helps shift the mental tapestry of thought in ways that help turn the tide of situations that seem unresolved.
And Christ helps us recognize that the true story of our lives is spiritual – all of us as sons and daughters of God, in right relationship with one another. This is true from nation to nation, from tribe to tribe, from ethnicity to ethnicity. This relationship we have with each other is not subject to a history of manipulation, coercion or negotiation. The divine rights of men, women and children cannot be violated. They are above the person, the party, the ideology, the belief or the dogma. And knowledge is a help for those who support democratic ideals.
This conviction of our God-given rights begins in our own hearts; and as we know them and practice them in our own relationships with others, we eliminate anything that might hide the Truth that is Christ from others, anywhere, seeking their freedom.
