Conventional wisdom says we can’t be absolutely sure about anything—there is always some doubt. The standard for quality in the manufacturing field is if there are only 3.4 defects per million opportunities for defects, or 99.9996 percent pure overall. Is 99.9996 percent good enough? Many would probably say yes. The field of quality control indicates that it is prohibitively costly—some would say impossible—to achieve 100 percent, or perfection, in manufacturing. But when we pray for healing, is it possible to be 100 percent confident in God? 

Christ Jesus introduced the world in an extraordinary way to the concept of perfect assurance and absolute, calm conviction in good, God. His prayers showed 100 percent confidence in God’s power and were demonstrations of full certainty that God was governing man (the spiritual identity of each of us) as perfect, 100 percent pure, right in the midst of trouble. And healing was the result.

When he raised Lazarus from the dead, Jesus said, “Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always,” and then he raised Lazarus with the command, “Lazarus, come forth” (John 11:41–43). He didn’t ask whether it was possible to heal Lazarus; he clearly expected restoration to occur, based on his deep understanding that man was already and always perfect as God’s child. He was so confident in God’s all-power that he thanked God for the healing before it was evident. That is “100 percent” thinking! Jesus knew the reality of God’s unchanging power and perfection so clearly that he had 100 percent confidence in God’s ability to heal. This total confidence in God is complete spiritual knowing.

Jesus’ disciples had to learn how Jesus could be so confident of God’s power. When the disciples could not heal a boy whom Jesus was able to heal quickly, they asked Jesus, “Why could not we cast [the devil] out?” Jesus’ answer is revealing: “Because of your unbelief: . . . If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you” (Matthew 17:19, 20). After Jesus’ resurrection, when the disciples had gained more conviction in the authority of God’s power, they healed quickly, as Peter did in healing a lame man at the Temple and in raising a woman from death.

I had a healing several years ago when I came to 100 percent conviction that God could and would heal me. I awoke one morning unable to walk as a result of what appeared to be painful shin splints. I was worried because I was in Scotland and scheduled to take a flight to London in a few hours. I had planned to tour London for several hours on the day prior to flying home to the United States. But I couldn’t move from my bed without pain.

This statement from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy came to thought: “You can prove for yourself, dear reader, the Science of healing . . .” (p. 547). This promise made me feel that I could be healed if I just followed the precepts of healing I knew in Christian Science. I began my metaphysical treatment with the thought that all sickness, including this condition, is an “error of belief” (Science and Health, p. 208) and nothing more. I reasoned that if this was so, then what appeared as an unfortunate reality was only false evidence. 

I saw the condition as a belief only. Interestingly, as soon as I took this firm stand, I was bombarded with strong suggestions that I should doubt my prayer. Thoughts such as “That’s foolish; of course it’s real” and “You can’t just pray this away” were aggressive. I reached out to God, and remembered Jesus’ statement in the Bible telling us to ask anything in his name, and it would be done (see John 16:23). I did this and found that standing on the authority of the Bible gave me confidence that my prayer was valid and that I had the right to stand by it and experience healing.

It took only a few minutes of turning to God and praying along these lines before my thought changed to one of spiritual conviction—the conviction of the complete unreality of the painful condition. I saw that my true being was intact and had never been touched by the aggressive belief of ill health. I rejoiced in this truth. I then knew that I could stand up and go about my day. I did so. Completely free, I flew to London and joyously walked miles around the city. The next morning I caught my flight home, rejoicing in God’s goodness every step of the way.

The prayerful treatment changed my perception to realize that the supposed physical condition was a false impression, not a reality. How radical! When we’re entirely convinced that what we appear to be experiencing is only a belief, a misperception, and stand by this conviction with the authority of Christ, Truth, healing occurs.

The eternal perfection of God and His creation bridges the gap between hoping for a good-but-as-yet-undetermined human outcome and a conscious sense of 100 percent spiritual, perfect truth. Mrs. Eddy, the Discoverer of the Science of Christianity, wrote, “The Christlike understanding of scientific being and divine healing includes a perfect Principle and idea,—perfect God and perfect man,—as the basis of thought and demonstration” (Science and Health, p. 259). When we pray from the basis of “perfect God and perfect man,” untouched by false belief, we yield to deep spiritual conviction, based on our 100 percent spiritual identity. This not only removes fear, but brings out health and healing. And we joyously glorify God.