Healing Prayer - Spiritual Thoughts

My life experience has made me think that some healings occur in a very short period of time, while others demand perseverance, patience, persistence and being firm in our faith. Trust in God or good helps us overcome difficult moments in our earthly experience, but often because of ignorance of divine wisdom, we are helpless to see the end of our calamities. When human will governs our faith, we suppose that we stand firmly on the ground and fulfill the will of God. But actually we start feeling moral weariness and even dissatisfaction.

All these negative qualities only discourage us mentally and we become victims of our own erroneous beliefs. It is useful to keep in mind a spiritual fact of the Discoverer of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy: "...man's extremity is God's opportunity". In a complicated situation, our positive thoughts often strengthen our faith that seems tired from delayed expectations. But often blind faith does not bring a fruitful outcome. When we start to recognise, apprehend and manifest the laws of the Christian Science, a good result comes into our life immediately, not in the uncertain future.

There is a story in the Bible about a woman and her son from Shunem. When the woman's son passed away, she refused to accept that news as an actual fact. As a result of that, a prophet's prayer raised her son. In proportion to our recognition of the truth in Christian Science that we live, move and have our being in divine Mind where only harmony reins, all discords or miasmas will become less evident in our mind first and then in our life, too. When we perceive their unreality in the Kingdom of Harmony, those inharmonious events have not any power over us. Then we are able to experience God's grace and love right now. The author of Psalm 46 affirms this fact in the line, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
In her healing book "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mary Baker Eddy writes,

“The prayer that reforms the sinner and heals the sick is an absolute faith that all things are possible to God,- a spiritual understanding of Him, an unselfed love”. (Science and Health 1:1-4).

So, absolute faith in God's power and a spiritual understanding of His unselfish love (not a blind faith) are the spiritual qualities which lead us towards the purification of our mind. Meditating and praying on those spiritual truths liberates our mind from past fears, doubts, and old beliefs. Then we experience a joy of healing from any kind of infirmity or sickness. Patience, persistence and love of God play vital parts in the mental progress of purification and bring a joy of gladness. In his letter, St. Paul asks all followers of Christ to "pray without ceasing".

A seed sown in rich soil will appear in a certain time, although we are not able to see its growth underground. Likewise, a demonstration of patience and perseverance points to the knowledge from God that the divine Principle is always in action, although we cannot materially see that law either. Just as moisture and light are required for the growth of the seed, we also need a sip of living water. This sip of water is the Truth of God which restores inner peace, reassures us in difficult situations and above all inspires and animates our life.

The following example illustrates perfectly the necessity of constancy and persistence in prayer to obtain an harmonious effect. A few years ago my wife noticed of a lump under her breast.

We did not deal prayerfully and seriously with this situation straightaway. After some time, the lump began to increase in size and my wife began to be fearful. Those moments of fear and doubt were so discouraging and did not help keep up her spirit. We tried to realise that we have only spiritual substance and therefore matter - or that lump - did not and could not have any reality or power over the pure and true thoughts on which we focused.

During some time, these affirmations of Truth brought peace and comfort to my wife, who wholeheartedly trusted in the healing power of God and my heartfelt prayers. However, when the lump continued to grow, at the same time her fears increased, and some painful sensations appeared. Fearful thoughts prevailed, so she expressed a desire to remove the growth by a surgical operation. That news did not make me happy and I expressed an idea that only God can perform surgery without any side effects. But what decision to take I put totally into God's hands. And soon my wife decided to continue trusting only in God's power.

For about seven long months, I steadfastly purified my consciousness through prayerful affirmations, in order to be free from any manifestations of fear. I kept clear in my mind that my wife is God's child, totally free from all fear and doubt.

The principles of prayer that I've learnt through the study of Christian Science healing were so helpful to me. I meditated on the truth which Jesus claimed: every branch which brings not fruit should be cut off and destroyed, I understood clearly that there was not any place for imperfection in the harmonious spiritual body where we all exist.

One evening my wife asserted the truth about her spiritual being with unwavering faith and spirit. The next morning the growth started to drain without any effort or pain. That procedure passed without any blood or pain and only a small hole reminded us of where the lump had been. Even that vanished during the following few days. My wife and I wholeheartedly glorified God's power and love for us. We were so grateful for that life lesson, which we both experienced.

So, as fresh water gives strength to a traveler in the wilderness, likewise the living power of the Word of God purifies our mind and body. When we steadfastly dwell on the consciousness of happiness and harmony, all our worries and disappointments disappear, as a mist melts away under sunshine!

As published in the Christian Science Russian Herald edition, 2000.