When we pray correctly, our prayer is inseparable from its answer. Through our own experience and through observing that of others, most of us had come to believe— before we gained an understanding of Christian Science—that some prayers were answered and some were not. Such false reasoning is directly traceable to the wrong concept of God as changeable. Mrs. Eddy says in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 2), "God is not moved by the breath of praise to do more than He has already done, nor can the infinite do less than bestow all good, since He is unchanging wisdom and Love." Through the teachings of Christian Science we begin to see that unanswered prayer is the result of praying amiss, of ignorance or misunderstanding of God's unchanging laws and omnipresent, eternal goodness.
The prayer which both affirms and realizes the truth about God, His omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience, and about man as His likeness, ever at one with Him, is inseparable from its answer. Of the prayers recorded in the Bible, those which convey the greatest inspiration and hope are not petitions for things, but prayers for spiritual understanding and light. Solomon prayed for "an understanding heart" that he might judge his people wisely. When Elisha's servant was overwhelmed with fear because "an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots," Elisha did not pray that the enemy might be removed. His great spiritual vision and steadfast faith in God prompted him to seek spiritual enlightenment for his servant. So he said, "Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see." It is further recorded concerning the young man that "he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha." To Elisha, God's power and protection were present facts; he had proved them many times. But until the prophet prayed that his servant's eyes should be opened, the latter's lack of spiritual vision had prevented his recognizing this great truth. Whatever our human need may seem to be, it is not for material things that we should pray, but for humility, spiritual vision, and faith in God, so that we may understand and utilize the omnipotent good that is ever at hand.
A student of Christian Science once had a most enlightening and inspiring proof of the truth that right prayer is inseparable from its answer. She was soon to need a sum of money for a right activity. She made an honest effort to obtain this money, but when the day came when it was needed, there still seemed to be no way of securing it. She searched her thinking carefully, and saw that she had been relying too much upon her own human efforts and had consequently been dismayed over and over again at their failure. As did Elisha's servant, she had been accepting the evidence of the senses, which in this case argued for lack. Complete surrender which was then made to God was accompanied by the clear assurance of His allness, and of His willingness and ability to help. Freedom and peace replaced fear and worry. Within a few hours more than twice the sum needed reached her from an unexpected source. Because God is good and is omnipresent, abundance of good for every need is likewise ever at hand, awaiting our recognition and use. Right prayer is the realization of the truth of God's allness, power, and presence, and of man's inseparability from Him. Realization of this truth supplies every human need.
