Christian Science Perspective audio edition

Loading the player...

Have you ever felt wronged or misunderstood – perhaps in a family or professional relationship – and found yourself wondering, Whose side is God on?

It’s a question that doesn’t only arise in personal struggles. It can surface during times of conflict and division on every scale. But Scripture doesn’t simply answer it – it reframes the question, inviting us to see what God sees and to discern what divine Love is revealing for everyone involved.

A story from the Bible (see II Kings 6:8-23) brought this into sharper focus for me. By his spiritual discernment, the prophet Elisha was repeatedly able to warn the king of Israel about ambushes planned by the king of Syria. Frustrated that his strategies kept being exposed, the Syrian king sent a powerful army to capture Elisha in the city of Dothan.

When Elisha’s servant saw the army surrounding them early in the morning, he panicked. But Elisha remained calm. “Fear not,” he said, “for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.” He then prayed for his servant’s eyes to be opened. Suddenly, the servant saw that the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around them – representing spiritual forces of divine protection.

It’s tempting to read this story and conclude that God was “on Israel’s side.” But through the lens of Christian Science, we see something deeper: the impartial operation of spiritual law – the ever-present expression of Truth and Love – governing God’s entirely spiritual creation.

God, divine Love, upholds what is just, right, and spiritually true for all. “Love,” as Mary Baker Eddy writes in “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” “is impartial and universal in its adaptation and bestowals” (p. 13).

In this account, Elisha isn’t protected because he’s “on the winning team.” He’s protected because he’s spiritually awake. He’s not praying for God to defeat an enemy – he’s perceiving the presence and power of God, which dissolves fear and aggression. He’s listening to divine Mind, not relying on human strategy. That spiritual receptivity brings peace, clarity, and even safety to others.

After the enemy soldiers had been taken captive, at Elisha’s recommendation the king of Israel fed them and released them in peace. This unexpected ending shifts the narrative from military triumph to spiritually discerning and expressing God’s all-embracing love. In seeing what was true spiritually, Elisha was enabled to choose compassion over conquest, and the result was that the Syrian raids ceased.

That’s the quiet strength of spiritual insight – it shields, uplifts, and blesses all.

I’ve found that asking, Whose side is God on? can distract from more healing questions, such as: What is God revealing? What does divine Mind see? That shift – from pleading for personal backing to seeking spiritual receptivity – opens the door to peace, strength, and transformation.

Like many people, I’ve experienced moments during conflict when I’ve longed for God to validate my position and prove me right. But as I pray in these moments, I begin to see that a better goal than trying to convince God is to let spiritual understanding reshape my view of the situation. As my outlook is transformed, I feel a growing sense of calm and confidence that divine Love is governing everyone involved.

Mrs. Eddy writes, “Each successive stage of experience unfolds new views of divine goodness and love” (Science and Health, p. 66). That’s been true for me. As I continue turning to God for spiritual clarity, I find more of Love’s impartial care revealed, step by step.

Deepen your worldview

with Monitor Highlights.

Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.

So no, God doesn’t take sides, favoring some individuals over others. God, Love, is all – and governs all. Divine law operates in the realm of spiritual reality, revealing peace where strife seemed entrenched, grace where judgment once prevailed, and unity where division dominated.

When we’re faced with conflict – whether political or deeply personal – we don’t need to persuade God to support us over others. We can let prayer lift our thought into clearer spiritual vision – to see what divine Love is already revealing and establishing: harmony, mercy, and justice that transcend sides and express Truth itself.

You've read  of  free articles. Subscribe to continue.

Real news can be honest, hopeful, credible, constructive.

The Christian Science Monitor was founded in 1908 to lift the standard of journalism and uplift humanity. We aim to “speak the truth in love.” Our goal is not to tell you what to think, but to give you the essential knowledge and understanding to come to your own intelligent conclusions. Join us in this mission by subscribing.

Thank you for contacting The Christian Science Monitor.

Show more