One day at work I began to experience symptoms of a cold. Since I was deeply engrossed in my work, I neglected to pray about it. The next day the symptoms worsened, and they ultimately turned into a severe bout with persistent coughing and symptoms of pneumonia. 

I called a Christian Science practitioner for treatment through prayer, and I also began praying for myself. The symptoms were frightening to others, so I remained at home much of the time and experienced much spiritual growth during this time of consecrated prayer. 

Within about two months, the problem was healed. But whenever I had a cold after that, it would evolve into the same condition, which often lingered for weeks and even months. The coughing was especially difficult. Each time this occurred, I’d eventually experience healing through prayer, but the problem continued to recur over the years.

The turning point came when I recognized the importance of immediately standing up to the claims of sickness and not allowing them to fester in thought for even one second. In Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy writes, “When fear disappears, the foundation of disease is gone” (p. 368). Further on she instructs us, “Rise in the strength of Spirit to resist all that is unlike good” (Science and Health, p. 393). With this in mind, if I noticed symptoms of a cold, I’d first negate the presence of fear and affirm Love’s presence. I often declared with conviction, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear” (I John 4:18). Then I’d deny the memory of illness by knowing that as a beloved child of God, I had never been touched by anything unlike my creator, about whom the Bible says, “For in him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28). And I affirmed that at that very moment, I was completely spiritual, harmonious, and free. As a result, I often experienced instantaneous healing.

As I became more adept at prayerfully nipping any symptoms in the bud, healing began to occur more rapidly, and the condition became much less frequent. One day last winter, I realized that it had been years since I had experienced a cold, cough, or pneumonia. With gratitude I acknowledged that persistent prayer had brought about complete freedom from these problems. 

However, my work was not yet finished. During this time, I also periodically experienced flu symptoms. Each time this occurred, healing came through prayer—but as before, the condition continued to recur. One winter day about seven years ago, while getting ready to go to my local Church of Christ, Scientist, to do some work, I heard a newscaster warn the public that it was “flu season.” When I left the apartment, I ran into a neighbor who warned me of the same thing. Instead of praying about this, I reacted with annoyance.

When I arrived at church, I began to feel unwell. Within an hour I found I had full-blown symptoms of the flu. At that point I didn’t feel I could make it home, so I made my way down the stairs and into the Reading Room. The librarian helped me into a chair and brought me a copy of Mrs. Eddy’s article titled “Contagion” (see Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896, pp. 228–229). Nearby, a group was reading the Christian Science Bible Lesson out loud. I was so grateful for the fact that God, divine Love, had placed me in a healing atmosphere, where I was shown love and care. Within an hour my strength returned sufficiently for me to get home.

Before going to sleep that night, I prayerfully pondered ideas in the article the librarian had given me. It states: “Floating with the popular current of mortal thought without questioning the reliability of its conclusions, we do what others do, believe what others believe, and say what others say. Common consent is contagious, and it makes disease catching.” And later it points out, “A calm, Christian state of mind is a better preventive of contagion than a drug, or than any other possible sanative method; and the ‘perfect Love’ that ‘casteth out fear’ is a sure defense.” The next morning I awoke completely healed!

This past winter, when I once again heard about “flu season” on the news, I realized with deep gratitude that I’d been entirely free in the seven years since this healing. I recognized that healing is permanent when we understand that man has never been touched by anything unlike God, his divine Father-Mother. I also realized the importance of immediately denying reports of disease we hear—and of prayerfully affirming man’s spiritual nature and consequent exemption from disease. Praying this way, we not only protect ourselves, but we also contribute to a global healing of both the fear and the symptoms of disease.

Through these healing experiences, I’ve discovered that when we turn promptly—and confidently—to Truth and Love, we can rest assured that our needs will be met. I’m deeply grateful for Christian Science, which has blessed me in so many ways.

Sally House Heinsohn
New York, New York, US