Severe pain healed through understanding God’s care
One morning last autumn, I awoke with a sharp pain in my head—almost like an ongoing electric shock. Even touching my hair seemed to intensify the pain. But because the pain wasn’t too severe at first, I decided to go to work.
Throughout the day, I constantly thought about the spiritual truth that I was made “very good,” and in the image of God, just as the first chapter of the Bible’s book of Genesis says of all of us (see verses 27 and 31). By the time I returned home, however, the discomfort had worsened. That’s when I called a Christian Science practitioner—someone who gives treatment through prayer. The practitioner reminded me of Hymn 8 in the Christian Science Hymnal, which urges us to abide with God, knowing that the Father understands and meets our needs. It concludes with the line “I triumph still, if Thou abide with me” (Henry Francis Lyte).
I also called my mom, and during a long and uplifting conversation, she shared inspiring ideas and thoughts drawn from her own study and practice of Christian Science. Together, we reflected deeply on truths that comforted me. I asked her to look up certain Bible passages, particularly from the early books of the Bible. I felt especially drawn to the recurring phrase “apple of the eye.” For instance, Psalm 17 records the psalmist’s heartfelt prayer when he sought God’s care and protection: “Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings” (verse 8).
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