One of the beautiful teachings of Christian Science is the truth that each moment is an opportunity to know what it means to be spiritual. As God’s image and likeness, we are not physical bodies with a temporal shelf life; rather, each of us is caused and created by Spirit, God. This individuality is composed of health and strength, and is always ours to experience and enjoy. As we recognize God as our Maker and live true to our spiritual individuality, answers to prayers come more readily—and healing is easier to find.
There may be times, though, when living true to our spiritual self feels tested. If facing a significant health-care decision or a threatening situation, even if we have a strong conviction of God’s ability to heal us, others around us might not. They may question our trust in God, doubt prayer’s ability to help, and argue that material means of relief need to be pursued. We may feel tempted to compromise our steadfastness in Truth to keep others happy. Along with that, our own confidence might wane, and we ourselves may start to doubt whether our prayers can heal. Deciding how to go forward gets easier when we remember that we are governed and maintained by God.
This isn’t decision-making based on belonging to a particular religious denomination, nor willfully sticking to a path without being open to God’s moment-by-moment direction. It’s about choosing to hold to the most effective way forward for us, when we understand and wish to rely on the spiritual truth that health is our reality as a child of God.
