One morning in early November 2014, I finished reading the weekly Bible Lesson from the Christian Science Quarterly (consisting of passages from the Bible and from the textbook of Christian Science, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy). I stretched and tried to find a more comfortable position. A chronic ache in my left shoulder made me feel weary. 

Suddenly, I realized I didn’t need to suffer this chronic, age-related pain any longer. I am certain that the spiritual truths in the Bible Lesson I had just finished studying cut through apathy and woke me up! This was the effect of the Christ, which Science and Health describes as “the true idea voicing good, the divine message from God to men speaking to the human consciousness” (p. 332). A sense of God knowing me, loving me, and tenderly supporting my steps Spiritward accompanied this demand to better understand God despite physical discomfort, and so find healing. 

From commercials on TV, I was familiar with the expectation that this pain was unlikely to go away on its own. But having experienced many healings through prayer alone, I began to pray—to reason rightly as taught in Christian Science.

My starting point was right identification of spiritual existence as the only and present actuality of being, despite contrary testimony from the physical senses. I affirmed that God is divine Spirit and eternal Life (Bible-based synonyms for God), the sole cause and creator of the universe, and that God’s timeless, tireless being is manifested in His spiritual creation, including man (everyone), His wholly spiritual image and likeness (see Genesis 1:26, 27). I knew that God, immortal good, couldn’t and wouldn’t make anything capable of aging or decay or subject to erosion, loss, or failure. His beautiful and pure creations remain fresh, vital, and new forever, and I knew that included me. This assurance from Revelation bolstered my confidence: “Behold, I make all things new” (21:5).

As I prayed, I followed this instruction from Science and Health: “Keep distinctly in thought that man is the offspring of God, not of man; that man is spiritual, not material; that Soul is Spirit, outside of matter, never in it, never giving the body life and sensation” (p. 396). Reasoning further, I knew that because God, Spirit, Life, is ageless, His likeness must be ageless, never subject to decline. That as His forever likeness, I am neither young nor old but instead always maintained by God at the standpoint of spiritual maturity and completeness, vigor and freshness. And that because I am an immortal spiritual image or idea, not flesh and blood but timeless spiritual qualities—including strength, flexibility, resiliency, and effortless, graceful movement—comprise my true being. Even before the healing was evident, I rejoiced to know my present immortality as a beloved child of God!

One element of my prayer was not allowing myself to be lulled into apathy or discouragement again by the pain. I resolved that each time my shoulder ached, I would turn from frustration and respond to the action of Christ, Truth, awakening me to my present and permanent health as God’s ever-fresh, ever-new, ever-vital spiritual likeness or reflection. This took persistence. But within a few days the shoulder pain vanished, and it has not recurred. What joy, what gratitude I felt when I realized I was free! I felt the love of God tenderly supporting and sustaining me throughout my experience. The divine message of the healing Christ, Truth, had awakened me, encouraged me to seek healing, supported my prayers, and freed me from suffering. 

I would like to add that countless times over the years, aches and pains have been instantly and permanently banished through immediately realizing the truths of Christian Science and letting God move my thought from a material to a spiritual sense of being. To paraphrase verse 7 of the ninety-first Psalm: A thousand false beliefs shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand false beliefs at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. This promise has been fulfilled in my life. My heart overflows with gratitude to God! 

Charlene Anne Miller 
Tucson, Arizona, US