Since childhood, I’d had trouble with hearing. My mom and dad prayed with me, and my hearing would improve for a while, but then the problem would recur.
In grade school, my parents took me to an ear specialist who prescribed antibiotics, but there was no permanent solution. During college there was about a month when I could hardly hear out of either ear. I contacted a Christian Science practitioner for metaphysical treatment, and my hearing returned. But there seemed to be yearly recurrences of the problem. Each time I would pray, by myself or with the support of a practitioner, I could hear again.
About five years ago, I noticed that my hearing was diminishing, and then three years ago, I couldn’t hear at all out of my right ear. It was scary to feel shut off from those around me. I felt isolated in group conversations because I couldn’t make out what others were saying.
In my study and prayers over the years, one idea kept recurring. It’s from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy: “The intercommunication is always from God to His idea, man” (p. 284). But I didn’t understand how this would help me hear those around me, because I was thinking of this spiritual communication as just between God and me.
At the same time, I was studying Christ Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, recorded in Matthew, and this study was giving me a fuller understanding of what it means to be Christlike. To me, it means expressing Christly qualities, such as meekness and lovingkindness. The Beatitudes became more real to me as practical guides in my daily interactions, and I started more consistently recognizing the Christlike qualities in those around me as well. Jesus’ teachings throughout the Sermon on the Mount show us how to love all mankind as God’s children, as the perfect expression of infinite Love.
Then I read an article titled “Perception” by Paul Stark Seeley (Journal, June 1926). This statement opened my thought to what needed healing: “True perception can no more be impaired than God’s activity can be interrupted, or the perpetual omniaction of Mind can be abrogated or lessened. If one idea could lose its perceptive faculties, or have them impaired, such result would evidence a power greater than the all-seeing Mind. God would no longer be all-seeing. Loss of perception would isolate the idea from those relationships and associations which characterize the divinely coordinated unity of Mind’s ideas, and the perpetual indivisibility of God and His universe.”
This made me realize that the belief of hearing loss was really a belief that I could be separated from God. From my study of Christian Science, I knew this couldn’t be true. Christian Science teaches that as spiritual ideas of God, we are inseparable from Him.
Recognizing any given limitation of mortal existence as a lie enables us to replace it with the truth of our spiritual identity. The belief of hearing loss was one big lie that I could lose all relationships. Uncovering this lie felt like a breakthrough, because since childhood I had felt isolated from others.
I prayed, asking God what I needed to know, and the thought came: “My only relationship is with God, and it is defined by the Christ.” Science and Health says: “Christ is the true idea voicing good, the divine message from God to men speaking to the human consciousness” (p. 332).
With this thought came the clear realization that the Christ, Truth, speaks to every one of God’s ideas. I couldn’t be separated from anyone as long as I recognized each individual’s Godlike identity. I was perceiving more of everyone’s unity with God, and therefore with each other.
The moment this realization came, I could hear out of my right ear, and I have been able to hear normally ever since. This healing has been complete for over a year.
The feeling of isolation dissipated. Now, if I feel isolated, or hear reports of others struggling with isolation, I pray to understand more clearly everyone’s relationship to Father-Mother Love, and I continue to see more of what it means to be united with God and with one another in Christ.
I also continue to read the Sermon on the Mount weekly. I have felt such a transformation of thought and action that it is difficult to summarize. The simplest way to explain it is that I feel the presence and the power of Christ more consistently, and I love more unselfishly. But I also know there is so much more to learn. I’ve seen just the tip of the iceberg.
I now know we are all united in divine Love. No one is left out. Learning more of our own and everyone’s Christlike nature frees us and our neighbors from isolation.
Martha Sarvis
Boerne, Texas, US
I work as an interpreter for the Deaf. I was very aware of Martha’s struggle to understand spoken conversation. If I was not facing her directly when speaking, she could not understand me. Even with the best circumstances I would generally need to repeat myself. Martha also seemed to withdraw from casual conversations. I was not aware of her healing and had not heard her give a testimony yet, when I realized she was once again hearing normally. It was strikingly obvious and we rejoiced together.
Martha now is working as a Sunday School teacher for one of our church’s youngest classes. These high-pitched, active little boys would have been very difficult for her to follow before this healing. Now it is not a problem at all. A remarkable healing!
Rhoda Hockett
San Antonio, Texas, US
