Testimony of Healing October 11, 2004 Issue

My prayer about arthritis—specific and wholehearted

This account was originally broadcast on Sentinel Radio.

By Shirley Paulson——Evanston, Illinois

A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO , I started feeling symptoms of what seemed like arthritis. It was a gradual thing—first my ring finger became stiff and painful, and so swollen that I couldn't wear my wedding ring. Then the symptoms started to spread to my other fingers, and eventually to one of my knees.

I always pray about issues in my life that need attention, because I love God's solutions better than any other remedies. And so I decided to pray about this condition. I was aware that people say arthritis just gets worse and never goes away. But the Christ kept nudging my thoughts away from darkness and sorrow, and bringing me closer to God. And by Christ, I'm referring to that spiritual light and healing power of God that's always with us. It's like hearing an inner voice that says to stop staring at the horror of a problem and instead to look at the divine possibilities.

I also found help in Mary Baker Eddy's book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. To me, one of the central points in her book is that physical ailments always have a mental basis. And so they respond to a change in thought. Here's how she explained it: "A change in human belief changes all the physical symptoms, and determines a case for better or for worse. When one's false belief is corrected, Truth [God] sends a report of health over the body" (p. 194). So I knew I was looking for right ideas from God that would help me change what I was believing about the disease.

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