Renewal and healing

For the past 15 years I have lived on a small farm on the outskirts of the city Belo Horizonte. During this time, I have become much more observant of nature. When spring is on the way, what do we see? The trees (which are green year-round where I live) drop their leaves as they do after being shaken by the wind at the end of winter. Then a new cycle begins: The trees are filled with buds, which then blossom into lush flowers and leaves.

The Scriptures say, “Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth” (Psalms 104:30 ). In divine Spirit everything is constantly renewed; there is nothing stagnant or outdated in God’s creation.

This brings to mind a healing I experienced a few years ago. For a month I suffered from frequent nosebleeds. They occurred at least once a day, almost every day. I mentioned to my wife what I was going through, and out of concern, she suggested I seek medical help. However, being a student of Christian Science, I decided I would turn to the teachings in the Bible and Mary Baker Eddy’s writings for healing.

But one day I was in the restroom at work for half an hour before I was able to stanch another nosebleed. I was overcome with fear because in the past they had always stopped in about 10 to 15 minutes. So I decided to get treatment at the company’s medical facility. In order to get there, I had to cross a huge patio. Halfway across, I realized that I had a deep and honest desire to rely wholly on God and acknowledge that He is in control of everything.

Through my study of Christian Science, I had been awakening to the fact that God is my Life, so every aspect of my life is intact and indestructible, and nothing can prevent it from remaining so. In an instant, this Bible verse came to my mind: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee” (Isaiah 26:3 ). My purpose in studying Christian Science was to learn to trust God unreservedly, and I felt a sense of peace brought by knowing with certainty that divine Truth never fails and that God would never abandon me. I turned around and went back to my office. The bleeding stopped, and there were no other incidents for a while.

Then one day, a nosebleed occurred. But it was different this time because I no longer feared the condition. I realized that I needed to annul the suggestion of a relapse. Mary Baker Eddy writes in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, “Neither disease itself, sin, nor fear has the power to cause disease or a relapse” (p. 419 ). Further down on the same page, we read: “A relapse cannot in reality occur in mortals or so-called mortal minds, for there is but one Mind, one God.” Sometimes we give power to fear and sickness and end up enthroning them as gods. But as I read this passage, it became clear to me that there is only one God, who is Love. God gives His children only that which is good, never disease or suffering. And so I refused to bow down before, to acknowledge, any other hypothetical gods, such as nosebleeds.

That week, the Christian Science Board of Directors was scheduled to arrive in Brazil to conduct a number of meetings with members of local Christian Science churches. I planned on attending the meeting that would take place in Rio de Janeiro. I continued praying, knowing that God was governing me; however, these questions tried to creep into thought: “How will I be able to participate in the meeting if I am in this condition? What if my nose bleeds during the trip?”

Right then and there, I rejected any thoughts of limitation and reasoned that since I had never been separated from God, my condition could only be one of perfect health. I knew that there is no power besides God, and that no seeming power, such as a disease, could prevent me from attending the meeting. Because my motive in going was right, God would surely open the way. With that in mind, I made all the arrangements for the trip.

One day before my departure to Rio de Janeiro, the hemorrhaging stopped for good. I traveled by car for five hours each way and attended the meeting without any difficulty. That was six years ago, so I can say with certainty that I am free of this condition.

To me, these words of the Apostle Paul were fulfilled: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2 ). The “winds” of Spirit are constantly shaking us mentally and causing the “old leaves” of thought, the erroneous beliefs of life in matter, to fall and disappear. Through Spirit, we are constantly renewed.

Rubens de Vasconcellos Costa
Betim, Minas Gerais, Brazil