Many kinds of circumstances turn Christian Scientists to prayer. They often pray just for the joy of praying and because they love God, the source of all good. They also turn thought Spiritward when faced with specific challenges. If their body is in pain, they pray to gain a spiritual sense of health; if afraid, they pray for courage; if angry, for serenity and love; if lacking, for divinely based supply.
There is a particular kind of event that calls for a particular kind of dedication in prayer: when our Church is confronted with aggressive opposition. Perceptive members recognize that the answer does not lie in indignation—and certainly not in retribution. In fact, they accept all that is implied in the full spiritual sense of "Church" as Mrs. Eddy defines it: "The structure of Truth and Love; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle."Science and Health, p. 583 Pure Love must provide the very substance and thrust of their attitude and feeling. Their Church is a Church of Love. And divine Love is all-embracing, absolutely infinite; there can be nothing acting in opposition to Love and its creation.
Members reach for fresh and inspired ways to approach prayer for their Church. Each individual, of course, will bring his own special insight to his treatment. Still, it wouldn't be unusual for the basis of prayer to rest on a conviction that our Church is unopposed—right where there appear to be aggressive attacks both from within and from without.
