The question may sometimes arise, What is the patient's duty or responsibility when turning to Christian Science for help? Has he done his part if he turns to an experienced Christian Scientist for treatment and studies the Scriptures and the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy? The patient's attitude of thought has an important bearing on the outcome. There are times when one's mere willingness to ask for help in Christian Science, or to read authorized Christian Science literature, denotes enough expectancy of good to help bring about a healing. But besides expectancy of receiving help, such attitudes as the desire for a right solution of a problem, regardless of one's own predilections, an uncritical, childlike, receptive thought, and the willingness to be shown what needs correcting are all most helpful.
It would appear from the record that during his three-year ministry Christ Jesus always healed those who, mentally and sometimes audibly, turned to him for healing. He said when healing the two blind men (Matt. 9:29), "According to your faith be it unto you." To the woman who touched the hem of his garment in the throng, expecting to be healed, he said (Matt. 9:22), "Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole." And to the father whose son had "a dumb spirit" Jesus said (Mark 9:23), "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." It is related in the thirteenth chapter of Matthew that in his home town, Nazareth, Jesus found among his fellows a lack of faith in his healing power. Consequently "he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief."
How perfectly the relationship of the patient to the healing Christ is portrayed in Revelation (3:20): "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door. I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." The Christ, Truth, is ever speaking to the human consciousness, revealing to each individual the truth of his real self as the perfect child of God, living, moving, and having his being in divine Mind. However, mortal man, that graven image of the carnal mind, sits in the darkness of his own finite misconceptions of God and man. He is listening for and hearing the voice of the serpent, corporeal sense, which is witnessing to sin, disease, and death. His existence is a dream of life in matter. Sometime, through Science or suffering, every mortal will awaken to hear the voice of Truth. He will open the door of consciousness to the inflow of divine ideas.
