Anyone who has taken Primary class instruction from an authorized teacher of Christian Science is equipped to give metaphysical treatment to those who may ask him or her for help through prayer. I know from past experience that we can expect healing to result from this treatment, because everyone is as perfect as God, our creator. Perfect God can only create perfection, and healing occurs through realizing this divine perfection. Nothing is too big or too small to take to God in prayer. God is Love itself, and Love is a power that never fails.
There are so many instances in the Bible where healing happened. Christ Jesus, the Way-shower, demonstrated how God heals, and taught his method to his disciples. In more recent times, we have examples in the writings and life of Mary Baker Eddy, who discovered Christian Science, proving Jesus’ promise, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father” (John 14:12).
Even though Jesus is no longer physically present, the Christ, Truth, he lived is always with us. And Jesus also promised that the Comforter, or the Holy Ghost, would teach us what we need to know (see John 14:26). Divine Love shows us how to overcome fear, with practical results.
Several years ago, a relative who was living in a different country reached out to me to pray about a stomach problem. My immediate response was to give metaphysical treatment as I had been taught in Christian Science Primary class. I affirmed to this individual my expectation of 100 percent healing. Her next message to me was one of relief.
I realized that what is termed animal magnetism—that is, whatever would claim that God is not in control—had to be faced head-on through prayer.
A few hours later she told me that while she felt better and was getting on with her workday, there was still a need to pray, which I did. Soon she reached out to me again, this time with urgency. This impelled me to listen more attentively to God and pray more diligently. I knew that healing in Christian Science is not just temporary relief from symptoms but complete cure.
A simple but radical idea from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mrs. Eddy was helpful. It is that there is no sensation in matter (see pp. 165–166). Even though I was very familiar with this concept from growing up attending a Christian Science Sunday School, that day it became vividly real and practical to me.
The more I prayed, however, the more the picture seemed to get worse. I got panicked calls from various family members who are not Christian Scientists, urging me to encourage our family member to go to a hospital, as things seemed to be deteriorating from a physical standpoint. I knew their worry came from loving concern for this family member, but it made me pray more fervently so that I would not succumb to fear. This earnest prayer enabled me to stay calm as I clung to the truth that matter cannot feel pain or even pleasure. Our true senses are spiritual and without pain.
I called my relative and suggested she speak to an experienced full-time practitioner listed in the Journal. She was willing, but was unable to reach the first practitioner she called. I also reached out to a practitioner in the country where she was living, but was not able to reach him either. This made me feel discouraged for a moment. Then I realized that what is termed animal magnetism—that is, whatever would claim that God is not in control—had to be faced head-on through prayer.
As I prayed to feel God’s presence and control, more worried calls came, impelling me to hold on stronger and cling steadfastly to what I understood of perfect God and His perfect creation. I thought about how even though I was not a Journal-advertising practitioner, God was available to me as He is to all of us, and through Christ, God’s message of Truth and Love to man, He meets us at our point of need at whatever level of understanding we have.
The next time I spoke with my relative, she assured me of her absolute confidence in God. She asked me to help her also assure the family members who continued to urge her to go to a hospital. I let them know I was standing firm in the spiritual work that was going on. We were leaning on God, “the sustaining infinite” (Science and Health, p. vii), so blessings were certain.
The time comes when we need to prove for ourselves what we have been learning.
Since she couldn’t keep food down, I was affirming that Truth was feeding her and was the source of her strength. Philippians 4:13 states, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” It was interesting to find that my relative had been thinking along the same lines. She sent me a text message saying, “Truth feeds me. I cannot be bullied by fear of food and eating.”
Humanly, her situation seemed overwhelming—she had a very busy workweek at a new job; she was settling into a new home and country; and as she was praying about this problem, she also had to contend with worry from family members around the world. However, the Christian Science Bible Lesson that week addressed how to handle animal magnetism, and one idea in particular from Science and Health stood out to me—that so-called laws of matter are not primary, and the law of Spirit is not secondary (see p. 207). The spiritual approach was the primary approach, and I knew it was sufficient.
Throughout this period, my relative was able to do all the work she had to do, remotely. I was grateful for this. Finally, after several days of steadfast prayer, I got this message from her: “Getting ready to go into work. All 100% okay.” The efficacy of Christian Science had been proved again.
Many of us have been greatly blessed by having been taught and prayed for in Christian Science over the years. Then the time comes when we need to prove for ourselves what we have been learning. Being steadfast, staying strong, stepping up, and being the practitioner on a case can be a way to experience firsthand the practical effects of all that we have been taught and continue to learn.
Spiritual healing is born of inspiration. It comes from God and is communicated to us through the Christ message, God’s timeless Truth. It is available to each one of us, as it was to those before us, and will be available to all forever.
Truth is everlasting. And as I found when I felt alone on the case, one with Truth, God, is the majority.
