I remember the time growing up in India when my father introduced me to the Christian Science concept of God as wholly good and not the cause of evil, or the creator of anything bad. As a child I took to it, as I knew intuitively that God existed and was good.
I have been a student of Christian Science for many years now and have had lots of proofs of God’s goodness and protective power (including some instantaneous healings). However, I sometimes struggled with trusting God completely for healing and instead sought relief through medical treatment and other remedies.
Some years ago, I started developing extremely painful symptoms of what was diagnosed by doctors as gout. I started receiving medical treatment for pain relief and eventually preventative medical care. While still praying for healing, I found myself relying more and more on medication.
Despite taking increasing dosages of the prescribed medication and following dietary restrictions and other medical advice and therapies, I found myself getting progressively worse over a period of five years and was told there is no permanent cure for gout, only symptoms management. I was also struggling with work and relationship challenges.
As time went by, I felt more hopeless and at times depressed. But something the Apostle Paul said when he was struggling with a physical challenge gave me hope: “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (II Corinthians 12:8, 9). I realized that what afflicted me was not too big a challenge for God. Divine Love can reach anyone, no matter how lost they seem to be. It is not through our own merits that we are saved but through God’s omnipotent grace.
I decided to call a Christian Science practitioner. Knowing my struggles for many years and my reluctance to trust God completely for physical healing, he responded lovingly. He also said he knew how impossible it is to feel fear while acknowledging our forever oneness with Spirit, God, as His idea. That statement startled me. He again reminded me of the truth—that there is only one state of being: Spirit at one with its idea. I found myself on familiar ground as he described the pure love, care, freedom, and flawlessness that come from this understanding, and I remembered why I loved Christian Science as a child.
After our conversation I decided to get off the medication and trust solely in God for healing. I gave up the dietary restrictions, as well. My daily practice involved dwelling more and more on the goodness of God and on all of the good I saw expressed around me, and seeing myself as God’s reflection.
The Christian Science practitioner gave me metaphysical treatment for several weeks. Familiar spiritual truths became more real to me. I saw that there are not two bases of being, Mind and matter. God, Mind, is the only basis of being, since all is made by God and is wholly spiritual. The reflection of God, good, is never sick or lost. Also, Spirit never made matter and never heals matter; Spirit removes the belief in the existence of matter or any power apart from God, and this results in physical problems disappearing from our experience.
At times when I felt symptoms of sickness, I dealt with fear with the practitioner’s help, until the fear and the symptoms disappeared. In the nearly two years since the gout flares ceased, I have continued to be free and have never taken any medication. In fact, I threw it all away and never went back to the doctors. I run and exercise and am able to eat anything I want. The medical verdict of incurability was proven to have no truth or power.
This healing in Christian Science improved me not only physically but morally, as I let go of several sinful beliefs and practices. Anger, sensuality, self-righteousness, and a personal sense of things lessened as I felt God’s grace. My outlook towards others around me changed for the better and included a lot more kindness and forgiveness. It became easier to love without hesitation, doubt, or fear. My work situation improved and a troubled relationship became more harmonious. I am, on the whole, a lot more joyful.
I am grateful to God for this healing, and for the truth of God and man that Mary Baker Eddy recorded in her textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. No other system of healing but Christian Science gives all the glory to God.
Ashwan Chhapgar
Foster City, California, US
