Christian Science Perspective audio edition

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Original content on Christian Science written for this column by one of our readers.

A story was published in the May 7, 2026, issue of this newspaper titled “‘They just want to matter’: Swarming teens test community order.” The article looked at what was behind recent social-media-driven teen takeovers of public spaces, which can become unruly and sometimes violent. It also looked at ways governing officials are handling the events while at the same time addressing the needs of young people in their communities. One survey referenced indicated that a majority of young adults feel a lack of meaning and purpose, and half feel they lack direction.

That’s something we can pray about. Christian Science reveals that God, divine Principle, is the ever-present source of all good, joy, comfort, hope, and purpose, and that we are the very expressions of God, spiritual and complete. God, our dear Maker, has given each of us a holy purpose with which to shine brightly. And He is with each one of His children, speaking to us individually and providing guidance for a purposeful and meaningful path.

The Bible gives the starting point of how and where to go: “Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths” (Isaiah 2:3). As God’s children, we all can hear God’s guidance. We’re all provided with this compass point through spiritual intuitions that guard, guide, and direct us. The divine influence of God, good, is active in the lives of all of us, including young people who may be struggling to find purpose and direction.

In prayer we can affirm and hold fast to these spiritual facts. Spiritual intuitions come from God, who the Christian Science textbook declares to be all-acting, all-wise, and all-loving. This definition of God implies that wisdom and love are imparted to all—to every young adult and every parent, teacher, Sunday School teacher, and community official interacting with young people. Being loving and understanding is natural to each of us. It reflects the stuff we’re made of as God’s spiritual creation.

One of the lies to confront in prayer is that young people are struggling because they don’t have God. That’s never the case! There is no separation or gaping void between God and any one of His beloved children, which is what we are. The Bible tells us that God is Love. This Love is infinite, All. There is no way anyone could ever get away from it or outside of God’s love.

Christ Jesus’ healings of sin and sickness, and overcoming death—and the healings accomplished by his followers—are proofs of man’s oneness with God. Mary Baker Eddy, who discovered the Science of Christ that lay behind Jesus’ works and is the unchanging truth of God and our relationship to God, understood this inseparability of God and man, His creation. She writes, “Immortal man was and is God’s image or idea, even the infinite expression of infinite Mind, and immortal man is coexistent and coeternal with that Mind” (“Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” p. 336).

As an infinite expression of the all-loving and all-wise God, each of us is always given fresh ways to express Godlike qualities and to contribute to our communities with purpose and joy.

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Whether as a teen, or as an adult caring for the teens in our community, we can turn to God in prayer and counter anything that would convince us that being young can shut anyone out from receiving good—that any teen’s purpose can be lacking or their progress stagnant. The spiritual truth is that no one can be shut out of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus taught us that the kingdom of heaven or “reign of harmony” (Science and Health, p. 590) is within us, always present. As we allow the light of truth to reside in our consciousness, we bring the touch of Christ’s healing love to our families, communities, and the world.

Going forward, these weekday articles offering a Christian Science perspective on our lives and the world are being published without a byline and read for audio by volunteers. Each Saturday this column will feature a poem with the byline and recorded for audio by the author. In both cases, the goal is the same, to bring a touch of God’s healing light into the lives of our readers through the shared thoughts and healing demonstrations of fellow readers. If you want to know more about contributing, please email JSHWrite@csps.com.

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