Thanks for joining us in today's inspiration at the Christian Science Daily Live.

Sharing from Boston, Massachusetts is Christian Science practitioner and teacher, Beth Schaefer.

In a year that seems to have had its share of tumult, it's likely that many are yearning to glimpse and feel deep peace in the new year.

In his life and healing ministry, Jesus brought to light the peace-giving power of Christ, the spiritual truth of God's unchanging, holy good government.

Right where darkened human consciousness saw discord and strife, Jesus recognized that God,

who is divine love, was and is the only real power governing the universe.

Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer of Christian science, said in one of her writings,

Retrospection and Introspection, The trend of human life was too eventful to leave me undisturbed in the illusion that this so-called

life could be a real and abiding rest. What Mrs. Eddie went on to discover was that beneath all

the turmoil is the great truth that existence is spiritual and that understanding this still strife.

I've experienced this spiritual peace. One time, a troubled teenager with a criminal history threatened to harm me.

Others in the room were afraid for my safety.

What came to my thought as I looked at this young man was that the Christ that was speaking to me

was also speaking to him. This simple thought gave me a sense of security of having a safe haven in Christ.

I felt guided to stay where I was and cherish the young man's true spiritual identity as a child

of God. As fear began to lose its grip, tension gave way to calm.

The young man resumed his assigned chore, and the incident was over.

If we are disturbed about events on a local, national, or global scale, we can know that no matter

how complicated an issue may seem, every conflict is made up of the thoughts of individuals.

Every prayer on our part that recognizes the spiritual reality of God's government helps to bring

light to individual thought, and ultimately that helps move collective thought in a progressive

and constructive way. May the deep, settled calm of Christ be ours every day of this new year.

...