I received the “pearl of great price,” the gift of Christian Science, eight years ago. Since then, I’ve had innumerable blessings in the form of overcoming severe health challenges, getting a good job, and strengthening relationships when I have turned to Christian Science. I was given purposeful work in a local Christian Science Society after I became a member, and I also took Primary class instruction. My love for church work and the love I feel from the society members impel me to come back almost every weekend, though I am posted in a different city.

One morning about a year ago, I was going to a bus stand in Gurdaspur (a city in Punjab, India) on my motorcycle to catch a bus to Pathankot (another city). As I made a turn, a boy on a motorcycle came from the opposite direction and hit my bike. Though neither he nor I fell, I felt a jerk on my left wrist. At that time it was not hurting much, so I continued to Pathankot. But that afternoon my wrist started to hurt a lot and swelled. I was unable to move it.

I called a Christian Science practitioner and asked her for prayerful treatment. She lovingly agreed to help and reminded me that in spiritual reality accidents are unreal, as God knows nothing about them (see Mary Baker Eddy, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 424). This means that what seemed to be an accident could not have any effect on me, God’s spiritual idea. I managed to come back to Gurdaspur in the evening, while I continued praying.

The next day, the pain and swelling increased, which I reported to the practitioner. She suggested I stop focusing on the physical symptoms and, instead, turn completely to God. Along with this, she suggested I read a few lines from Science and Health: “Be firm in your understanding that the divine Mind governs, and that in Science man reflects God’s government. Have no fear that matter can ache, swell, and be inflamed as the result of a law of any kind, when it is self-evident that matter can have no pain nor inflammation. Your body would suffer no more from tension or wounds than the trunk of a tree which you gash or the electric wire which you stretch, were it not for mortal mind” (p. 393). As I prayed with these truths, I understood that what needed to be handled was mental, not physical. As I am spiritual, made in God’s image and likeness, how could I suffer from material or physical circumstances?

By the evening the pain had lessened, but not much. I was praying to know that nothing but good can really happen. I was inspired by this truth from Science and Health: “We cannot deny that Life is self-sustained, and we should never deny the everlasting harmony of Soul, simply because, to the mortal senses, there is seeming discord. It is our ignorance of God, the divine Principle, which produces apparent discord, and the right understanding of Him restores harmony” (p. 390). I realized that discord or inharmony is like a film we see on TV: It is not real, because it is not from God. I knew I needed to stop being taken in by the material scene and understand the spiritual reality, i.e., unceasing harmony.

Normally in such a situation, I might have taken leave and gone to be with family, as I was unable to perform routine work because of the injury. But I knew scientific prayer would bring healing, and over the previous year I had seen in my own life that divine Love meets all needs. I felt it wasn’t necessary to leave my home. I completely trusted in God. Friends lovingly helped drive me to get food and to my workplace. And I continued to pray and work with the practitioner.

I am not sure of the exact timing, but within two days of the incident, my hand was free from pain and swelling. And soon I was doing all my work with both hands without any hindrance. The healing was permanent, without any recurrence.

I am grateful to God for this wonderful healing and for what I learned about the unreality of accidents. I am grateful to Mary Baker Eddy for discovering Christian Science, which shows us the unreality of all that is unlike God, good. I am also grateful to the Christian Science practitioner for supporting me prayerfully. And I am thankful for my Christian Science teacher and Primary class instruction. What I learned in class helps me in every phase of my life.

Puneet Sharma
Saharanpur, India