'Subscribing' to healing
At one time last year, I was very unwell with all the symptoms of the flu. I prayed with the idea that as a child of Spirit, God, I am created by God in His image and likeness (see Genesis 1:26, 27 ) and that I am always embraced in His love. I could know that dark thoughts of suffering were only lies about my true, spiritual identity. I read and deeply thought about my favorite passages from the Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Baker Eddy, but the symptoms persisted. After three days of feeling miserable, I wondered why it was that I read of other people’s testimonies in the Christian Science periodicals, where they would pray and were soon healed, whereas my challenge was not yielding.
I dragged myself from bed to a chair in the sitting room and thought about going to JSH-Online to listen to some audio chats, but my head was aching so badly that it did not seem to be an option.
The postman came and dropped post through the letter box. I picked up the latest issue of the Christian Science Sentinel from among the mail and, despite the pain, thought I would try to read an article. The first one I came to was by Walter Rodgers, titled “Borderless community” (July 23, 2012).
I slowly and carefully read and came to where Walter describes walking to lunch a few blocks from his workplace. He was approached by a man who looked “pitiful and hungry.” Walter invited the man to join him for lunch at a deli nearby and asked the deli owner to feed the man whatever he wanted. The deli owner was puzzled at first until he watched the man eat with great hunger and eagerness. After the meal, Walter’s lunch-mate sincerely thanked him and then headed off on his way. And the deli owner and Walter remained friends for many years.
After reading this account, I was suddenly aware that I had been completely healed. All the discomfort, pain, and other symptoms had disappeared in an instant. I felt well and ready to go. I was filled with such thankfulness and pondered how this had come about. I then realized it must have been due to the article I had read. But I was perplexed as the article did not really relate to how I’d been feeling. However, as I read the article, my thought had been deeply touched by the way in which this author had responded to a cry for help from his fellow man. The author showed instinctive, unconditional love.
Most people, probably including me, might have only given the man a few dollars for some food and then walked away. But Walter gave him so much more. When he invited the man to sit down and eat with him as an equal, he was giving the man respect, dignity, and a feeling of self-worth—just as Christ Jesus would have done. In reading about that act of compassion, I truly felt a glimpse of the activity of the Christ, which I am sure resulted in my healing.
This healing came at a time of self-doubt, and I felt so uplifted by realizing that healing can be instantaneous when we feel the touch of the Christ, Truth, in our consciousness.
At the time, I had been thinking about discontinuing my subscriptions to the print versions of The Christian Science Journal and Sentinel because I subscribed to JSH-Online.com. I found it so enjoyable and a great blessing to read these magazines entirely online. But after this healing, how glad I was to have my print subscriptions! Had I not intuitively picked up my copy of the Sentinel that day, I would have missed out on the healing message that reading Walter Rodger’s article brought me. I also enjoy giving copies of the Journal and Sentinel to friends and family. There are less important things that I would rather give up before parting with any of my subscriptions to the periodicals!
Sonia Bull
Cheddar, Somerset, England
