AN ABSCESS IN MY TOOTH and gum had been painful for almost two weeks. Despite the fact that the difficulty appeared to be just physical, I knew my real need was for a fuller understanding of God's allness and goodness, and of my perfection as His reflection. Mary Baker Eddy wrote in Science and Health, "It is our ignorance of God, the divine Principle, which produces apparent discord, and the right understanding of Him restores harmony" (p. 390).
I paced the floor night and day, affirming in my prayer God's love for me and seeking the comfort of His Christ. One night, unable to find any comfortable position, I lay down on the floor.
Looking up at the stars through a skylight, I suddenly felt God's nearness and became peaceful. I could think more clearly. I then remembered that someone had once asked a Christian Scientist what she would do if she had prayed for a long time and was still not healed. The reply—that she would continue to pray and trust God—was just what I needed to know.
