Since I began the study of Christian Science twenty-five years ago, the blessings that have come to me and my family are without measure. With four children to bring up, there has been ample opportunity to prove the healing power of Christian Science. Among the healings we have had are those of colds, flu, sprained ankles, a neck injury, an injured throat, and a dislocated shoulder. A blackened tooth has been restored to normal. A son's horse, struck by lightning and not expected to live, was completely restored to health and normal activity. And severe financial and human relationship problems have been resolved. There have also been instances of protection from accidents and untoward conditions. Some of these healings have been instantaneous; others occurred quickly. But I would like to share in detail a healing that was not accomplished in a short period of time.
I had been studying Christian Science for about three years and was a member of The Mother Church and a branch Church of Christ, Scientist, when I became aware that one of our sons had a physical problem. He was a year old at the time and was troubled by attacks of pain, primarily in his legs. The attacks, which were infrequent in the beginning, gradually became more frequent and more severe, and they almost always occurred at night.
When an attack came, I would carry the child to a place in the house where it was least likely that other members of the household would be disturbed. Turning to God in scientific prayer, I would affirm the truth of God's perfect spiritual man and deny the evidence of pain and disorder. Our son learned to pray too. If the attack was severe, I would quickly telephone a Christian Science practitioner to support us through prayer. The pain always lifted. As time went on, I knew I was growing in my understanding of God and man in His image, and there were times when I felt a full healing was at hand. But there were times when I just seemed engulfed in waves of fear.
Finally, the attacks were occurring several nights a week. Then one day I pondered the situation, thinking of how I had been carrying this child to a remote place in the house. Although I had done much of the prayerful work myself, if the attack was especially severe I would almost run to the telephone to call the practitioner for help. Suddenly I thought about the running, and how I had actually been running from this lie. I saw I had to stop. I had to turn around and face the error in order to prove for myself its unreality and powerlessness, much as Moses did when God directed him to go back and handle the serpent [see Ex. 4: 1-5]. It was as clear to me as a command that when the next attack came I should stand firm and face the error.
The opportunity to put this resolve into practice came soon with another attack that seemed to be the worst one of all. But the command I had received from God brought with it the spiritual strength to obey it, and I was able as never before to hold my ground with the truth of perfect God and perfect man. This proved to be the turning point. From that night on, the attacks were less frequent, less severe, and this longstanding problem passed completely out of our son's life in a short time. The healing took place about nine years ago.
We know that in Christian Science, time is never really a factor in healing. Spiritual understanding and grace are the factors. I am immensely grateful for this period of spiritual growth. It was a time of putting down deep roots in Christian Science; of learning to trust God totally with those I hold most dear; of learning to "walk by faith, not by sight" (II Cor. 5:7) —to refrain from measuring progress by the evidence before the senses.
Early in the experience, the conviction came to me that God was sustaining us even while the search for a clear understanding was going on. This spiritual sustenance was evidenced in so many ways humanly. It was seen in the patience and courage of the child, and in his desire to rely solely on God for healing. He was a pupil in the Christian Science Sunday School and was being spiritually fed there as well as at home. Also, all during that time, healings of all types of difficulties were taking place with both myself and the children, including this child. Although this particular problem wasn't quickly resolved, he had other healings. We knew that Christian Science heals, and we had every reason to expect that this problem, too, would yield.
Especially beautiful to me is that during that period this child's attendance record at school was far above average, and his grades were excellent. When a night had been difficult, it didn't occur to either of us that he couldn't or shouldn't go to school the next day. He would get up in the morning, refreshed, free, and ready for his classes.
Along the way an eye condition developed in this son. At certain times one eye would go out of focus. My husband, who is not a student of Christian Science, became concerned and wanted our son to have an eye examination. While I agreed to this, I continued praying earnestly to see the perfection of God's man, and to cherish the deep desire of my son and me to be faithful to Spirit. The ophthalmologist stated that while in some cases surgery might correct the condition, in this instance he would not operate. He concluded that nothing medically could be done about the trouble; the child would just have to live with it. I was exceedingly grateful for the refusal to operate and for the fact that my husband did not seek a second medical opinion. And I continued my prayer for the boy. Some time after that I noticed an improvement in the affected eye, and by the time the attacks of pain in his legs ceased, the eye condition was completely healed.
I could never express in words my gratitude for the two practitioners who worked with me at different times during this experience. With their unfailing encouragement, patience, and support, they were truly a vital part of God's sustenance of us.
There were innumerable truths from the Bible, and Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy, that were a source of strength and comfort. Of particular help were those passages urging us to trust God and to challenge fear. The following verse from the Bible was a mainstay (Isa. 41: 10): "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." And from Science and Health (p. 378), "God never endowed matter with power to disable Life or to chill harmony with a long and cold night of discord."
My gratitude to God for Christ Jesus and his follower, Mrs. Eddy, is boundless. I am grateful for The Mother Church and for the Manual of The Mother Church by Mrs. Eddy, which guides, protects, and assures the progress of the individual church member who obeys its By-Laws, as well as of the Cause of Christian Science. I am grateful for each Christian Scientist who strives to live in obedience to the Manual. I thank God for our weekly Bible Lessons, outlined in the Christian Science Quarterly. In our study of these lessons each day we find our "daily bread." I am deeply grateful for the blessing of Christian Science class instruction and for the privilege of serving my branch church. My term as Second Reader will always be a cherished, sacred period in my life.
Tampa, Florida
