A much-loved hymn assures us “Every prayer to Him is answered” (Johannes Heermann, Christian Science Hymnal, No. 76). Someone I know said that once when he thought his prayer hadn’t been answered, he realized that it had been—and the answer was “no.” 

The Bible includes this wonderful promise: “Before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear” (Isaiah 65:24). To me, that indicates the answer is already there, but sometimes we don’t accept it or see it because it may not have come in the form that we expected.

Several years ago my husband and I had our property surveyed and were surprised to learn that our neighbor’s fence was placed two feet over our property line. As I prayed, I felt clear that this was an honest mistake that could certainly be remedied. I was grateful that there was no suggestion of dishonesty on our neighbor’s part; nor did we feel “we wanted to get our two feet back!” What seemed important was to ensure that the legal documents—the deeds to each property—were correct. 

Since God is good, each experience we encounter is an opportunity to see that good is all that is unfolding.

Since God is good, each experience we encounter is an opportunity to see that good is all that is unfolding. So I did not want this to be a matter of praying to have something work out to suit ourselves, but rather to trust God. I knew that when the answer is from divine Mind, it blesses all concerned.

In pondering this situation about the property line, I was reminded of several statements about the line of demarcation by Mary Baker Eddy in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. She gives the definition of firmament as “spiritual understanding; the scientific line of demarcation between Truth and error, between Spirit and so-called matter” (p. 586). And “Understanding is the line of demarcation between the real and unreal” (p. 505).

I saw this property line issue as an opportunity for that line of demarcation “between Spirit and so-called matter” to be seen more in my own life. The line of demarcation, or spiritual understanding, distinguishes between what the physical senses witness to and what divine Mind sees and knows—namely, its own spiritual idea. Prayerfully distinguishing between Truth and error is not a one-time occurrence. It is ongoing as we acknowledge Spirit to be the reality of being. Then whatever appears to be opposed to Spirit is exposed as unreal.

This line of demarcation—spiritual understanding—is where Spirit, God, is seen to be All-in-all and error (however it appears) is seen as unreal. It enables us to know there is an answer to any problem. For me, that included the situation we were facing with the property line. I felt assured that because there is only good, there could be no loss. Spiritual understanding is not abstract but practical. It heals. It meets the human need, adjusting whatever seems to be out of line.

We took the necessary practical steps as they became clear. I was in touch with the neighbor several times, and our dialogue was always cordial. When their house was sold, the new owners were informed of the discrepancy. They had their own survey done, and it showed that the fence was on, not over, the property line.

My surveyor assured me he and the other surveyor would be able to sort it out. This was a hopeful sign that the matter would be concluded shortly. It was not. After contacting the other surveyor, my surveyor said he stood by his survey and that the other man was working from a different starting-point.

In Christian Science we know there can be only one starting-point—“that God, Spirit, is All-in-all, and that there is no other might nor Mind,—that God is Love, and therefore He is divine Principle” (Science and Health, p. 275).

I realized that was my answered prayer. 

In mathematics, we rely on the principle in order to solve the problem. Just so in Christian Science, the basis for our thought and prayer must be Principle, God, good. When this Principle is understood, goodness appears as the effect, healing or adjusting whatever the need is. In working out this property line situation, I felt the utmost assurance that the outcome was dependent on Mind’s knowing. And Mind knows only good.

From the beginning, there was no suggestion of arguing over two feet of property. It truly did not matter to me what the final outcome was. I just wanted an answer. (I admit I expected that answer to be in the form of a piece of paper that would indicate exactly what was what!)

Many months passed with no further action and no further insight about steps to take. Then one night, the thought came that perhaps nothing further needed to be done. At some point during the years this had gone on, it had come to me that the simplest solution would be to accept the survey that was done by the neighbor’s surveyor. And I realized that was my answered prayer. I no longer feel the need of a specific piece of paper because I know that if there needs to be an adjustment it will surely appear at the right time. The answer that I needed in this case was the peace I felt that God, divine Principle, is governing, and I can trust that.

“Every prayer to Him (God) is (indeed) answered.”