One morning I woke with severe pains in both knees

Joy Knight Smith

One morning I woke with severe pains in both knees. I prayed earnestly. As I was living alone at the time, I continued my duties as best I could. But after a few weeks with no relief, I called for prayerful help from a Christian Science practitioner. As I recall, she listened attentively but said very little. She did pray for me, and the next day there was decided improvement.

I myself researched statements on movement from Science and Health, and found passages on pages 283 and 514 especially helpful. I also found inspiration in Hymn 139, which begins, "I walk with Love along the way, ..." (Christian Science Hymnal). I continued to make progress until, in less than a week, I was completely free.

The lesson I could learn from this experience became clear to me: I had been harboring thoughts of resentment and pride in a relationship that had shown little promise from the beginning. I had been believing that an injustice was being done to me and could cause me harm. This of course was not based on spiritual fact, but on the belief that evil is real and has power. With that clear insight I resolved never to allow such thoughts of evil to lodge in my consciousness again. I felt the power of the divine Love that is God, alone governing me and everyone.

Several years later I experienced an itching sensation around my waist, which began to spread. Again I prayed earnestly to see myself as spiritual, not dwelling in a material body that could be out of control. It appeared that I might have shingles, as the pain was very aggressive. Once again I called a practitioner and also studied and prayed for myself. These words from the poem by Mrs. Eddy "Mother's Evening Prayer" came to me: "His arm encircles me, and mine, and all" (Hymnal, No. 207). That was my answer! I felt peaceful. Rapid healing followed from that moment on.

At one point while I was living alone, it looked as though I might lose my home. This idea was inconceivable to me, knowing as I did that God supplies His children with everything they require, and does so spiritually. I prayed to see that divine Principle was supporting me, and I considered the Biblically derived description of Abraham in Science and Health: "Fidelity; faith in the divine Life and in the eternal Principle of being" (p. 579). I expected God's law of good to become evident and to solve my problem.

The answer that came was totally unforeseen, involving the opening of doors that had previously been closed to me. In just one week, policies changed that made me the recipient of much-needed benefits.

For many wonderful proofs of God's care, I humbly give thanks to God. I might add that all the healings I have had, including those mentioned in this testimony, have been complete and permanent, giving me a strong conviction of the statement from Science and Health "In Christian Science there is never a retrograde step, never a return to positions outgrown" (p. 74).

Joy Knight Smith
Satellite Beach, Florida

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Testimony of Healing

In 1970 some boys with whom I was unacquainted left a...

November 22, 1993

Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit