Article April 30, 2001 Issue

Would you be surprised if something good happened?

By James Shepherd

Our backpacking group was in the mountains of Northern California, nearing the end of a tough day's hike on a rugged trail that was steep and overgrown with brush. We weren't sure whether the next bend would bring us to our lake destination, or if we still had farther to go.

My nine-year-old son, Tate, had been valiantly trying to keep up with the rest of the group. But his small strides were getting slower, and we had fallen behind. Then, through a clearing, there it was, not too far below us—a beautiful lake carved out of a craggy mountainside. When Tate saw this, he moved more quickly. Soon he was eagerly running past everyone in the group, toward the lake. As he disappeared down the winding trail, I thought of how true it is that "when the destination is desirable, expectation speeds our progress" (Science and Health, p. 426).

Expectancy plays a big role in spiritual healing. Prayer really does bring solutions to problems. Expecting these solutions makes our prayers more vibrant. And we can expect healing, because God's love is here right now to destroy whatever is troubling us.

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