When I received the news that an old friend was embroiled in a controversy and that her actions were causing great divisiveness among people I cared about, I was upset. Even though I didn't agree with what she'd done, I thought the treatment she received as a result of her behavior was unfair. I felt she must be feeling much turmoil, and that pulled at my heart. But I was also frustrated and confused.
That evening my skin began to itch. Little bumps developed. The itching was irritating, and I was annoyed because of how irritated I was feeling inside, too. By the next night most of my body was covered by the bumps, and it was hard to get any rest.
I'm used to turning to prayer for healing, but I couldn't seem to get calm on my own. So I decided to call a Christian Science practitioner and ask her to pray with me. The voice on the other end of the line was full of joy and love and readiness to help. I told her about the itching and about the situation that was upsetting me. She assured me that everyone involved in the disagreement was embraced in God's love. That included me.