I am so very grateful for a healing I had in October last year. One day I could feel symptoms of a cold, and by evening I was experiencing a fever and sore throat. My husband and I had planned a weekend trip to the Oregon coast to do some hiking. During that time of year the coast is usually very rainy and windy. When we got to our hotel, I could hear myself thinking: “Just give in to this cold this one time. It would be so nice to have a reason to just stay in bed. You will be more comfortable if you just give in.”
Then as we were getting ready to take a walk on the beach, I was tempted to voice the words “I’m sick.” But each time those thoughts came I wholeheartedly and vigorously reminded myself that the symptoms were only suggestions, not realities. Mary Baker Eddy writes, “He who refuses to be influenced by any but the divine Mind, commits his way to God, and rises superior to suggestions from an evil source” (Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896, p. 113).
I understood that God had never created a cold, so I had a perfect right—and divine authority—to say no to the suggestions. When the words “I’m sick” started to come, I quickly stopped them, confident that I could not be tricked into believing them.
