I was seeking healing
When I first contacted the woman who was to become my Christian Science teacher, I wasn’t seeking class instruction. I was seeking healing.
I was attending college at the time, and had prayed with the support of some practitioners in that area. But my study of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy had taught me that I could be completely free of the problems that were plaguing me—including fear, depression, and low self-esteem—instead of becoming only somewhat better. I felt led to search for a practitioner in my home region, and as I scanned the list in The Christian Science Journal, one name just sparkled. I had never heard of this woman, but I called her and made an appointment to see her in her office. She also happened to be a Christian Science teacher. We had a lovely conversation, and on my train ride home I felt a deep peace and a great hope that all of the problems I was facing could be solved—and they were! (See “A spiritual awakening in the dorm,” Sentinel, August 3, 1998, and “Break free … from your childhood,” Journal, May 2005.)
One of the questions she asked me was if I had ever considered having Primary class instruction. As a fairly new student of Christian Science, I had heard of class before and thought it was something I would do someday. But as I thought about the teacher’s question, I felt led to apply for class with her. I kept praying and listening and really felt God was leading me to move forward with this momentous step. I felt that class instruction would help me unlock and demonstrate the promises of joy, health, and wholeness written in the Bible and Science and Health. I was not disappointed.
On the first day of class, our teacher talked about the beautiful bouquet of roses that were on her desk. She said that each of us was like those lovely roses: unfolding and blossoming at our own pace. On another day, she taught us that like Moses and Jesus, we each have our own unique God-ordained mission and purpose, which is being revealed to us moment by moment. Most important, she taught us how to heal.
Our teacher said that each of us was like those lovely roses: unfolding and blossoming at our own pace.
At the end of my autumn semester, following class instruction, I had the opportunity to demonstrate what I had learned. One night before finals, my roommate and I were discussing all that we had to accomplish in a very short time, and she began to exhibit the symptoms of a cold. Because I was learning about the mental nature of disease, it was clear to me that what was going on had to do with a sense of pressure and fear. I asked her if I could pray for her, and she said, “Yes.” I got out my class notes and began to give her a Christian Science treatment based on what I had learned the summer before. I knew that fear and pressure were no part of my roommate's true spiritual nature, and I included in the treatment that she was safe and secure in God’s love and that He was guiding her moment by moment during this finals period.
When my roommate awoke in the morning, she was completely free from all symptoms. She was amazed, and I felt the surprise and delight of a toddler first discovering she can walk. But what happened next shocked me: My roommate became angry! She didn’t say anything to me, but I could tell by her cold demeanor and standoffishness that she was very upset. I called a Christian Science practitioner who spoke with me about “chemicalization”—the process in which negative symptoms surface in thought to be swept away (see Science and Health, p. 401 ). In my friend’s case, the healing was causing her to question long-held beliefs about health.
A couple of days later, my roommate announced: “I am going to become a Christian Scientist. Nothing like changing your religion in the middle of finals!” And she did. She studied Science and Health, regularly attended the Christian Science organization at our college, and had a number of healings through her own prayers. Our many discussions hadn’t convinced her of the validity of Christian Science, but her own healing had. Although this was the first healing I witnessed as I prayed for another individual, it was certainly not the last.
Over the years since taking class instruction, I have learned to be still, to go into the closet of prayer, and to delve deeply into the Bible and Mary Baker Eddy’s writings to learn more and more about the healing power of God. For me, class was not the transmission of a circumscribed body of knowledge, like a college course, but rather a practical key to the infinite kingdom of God. And it showed me that there is always something more to learn and demonstrate in our own lives and for the world—the possibilities are unlimited!
