Testimony of Healing January 6, 1992 Issue

At one point during my life, I went through a period of...

Sally S. Griggs

At one point during my life, I went through a period of depression. Because of an unhappy circumstance, my world seemed turned upside down and inside out. Though I had always been a very happy person, feelings of doubt, confusion, and extreme fear erased all my joy. I dropped out of a college course that I had begun and resigned my position as a Sunday School teacher—feeling inadequate to do either one with success or enthusiasm. The temptation to stop attending church was strong then, too. But something within me refused to give in to this suggestion. Having learned from early childhood that I could turn to God for help and answers, I knew that being at church each week could only help the healing.

Those around me did not know of this problem, though I had much prayerful support at times from my sister. As I was talking with her one morning, and telling her again of dark feelings, I found myself sinking still lower. There was silence over the telephone. I knew that my sister was praying. And in those moments I began to understand the correlation between my words and my feelings. I realized that if I wanted to be healed, I had to stop rehearsing the sorrowful thoughts, and begin acknowledging the power of my Father-Mother God. It was as if I had been pushing over and over the "rewind" and "play" buttons on a recorder. I was going nowhere. I definitely needed to "rewind," but I also needed to listen to and "record" a more accurate, spiritual view of myself.

While this was a firm step in the right direction, there were challenging times ahead. I learned more than ever to lean unswervingly on God. This verse from Job came often to me: "There is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding." I began to see that there is an inherent receptivity to good in man, and that God provides freely all the love, intelligence, and wisdom necessary for one's peace and well-being. The description of God given in Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy was also an anchor: "God. The great I am; the all-knowing, all-seeing, all-acting, all-wise, all-loving, and eternal; Principle; Mind; Soul; Spirit; Life; Truth; Love; all substance; intelligence." Often, in thinking this through, I would get only as far as "God. The great ..."—which would gently remind me that God is the source of all greatness; that there is nothing so overwhelming that God is not greater or more powerful.

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