Nothing is more certain of success than the thought that reaches out wholeheartedly to Christ, Truth, in time of need. It makes no difference what the problem is, whether that of disease, deformity, poverty, tension, or marital inharmony, it can be solved by the correct application of the law of God, of immutable Mind, divine Principle. Christian Science shows us that these difficulties are all due to mistaken views, illusions of ourselves and the world about us. It is Christ, Truth, which destroys these false beliefs and establishes harmony.

Many healings in Christian Science are instantaneous, although others are not. Students of this religion must strive most diligently to realize the great facts concerning the one perfect God, Spirit, and man as His perfect, spiritual idea. They are required to resist mightily the temptation to believe in the reality of the material condition confronting them and to insist upon their divine state of perfection as Mind's reflection.

If students do not grasp this truth the first or second time they try, they should persist in their prayerful, spiritual endeavors until they do. In other words, they should resist material error, insist on spiritual truth, and persist in this divinely mental activity until healing is complete.

In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mary Baker Eddy counsels her students (p. 406), "Resist evil—error of every sort—and it will flee from you." How do we resist evil? In Christian Science we resist evil in much the same way we refuse to believe a malicious lie about a trusted friend. Our best form of resistance is instantly to proclaim the truth concerning man.

In Christian Science, we refuse to believe the lies called stoppage, sickness, sin, senility, and death, because we know that they are lies about the image and likeness of Life, Spirit, Mind. Man is whole, pure, fearless, safe, now and forever. Christ, Truth, the power to resist evil, is spiritual energy, which every person possesses within his own consciousness at all times.

Followers of Christ Jesus pray the way he taught (Mark 11:24): "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." When we know that we have all good by reflection, when we see the ever-presence of spiritual perfection, such as health, joy, activity, surely this spiritual knowing will be seen in human experience as answered prayer, or healing.

The question is sometimes asked, "How long should Christian Science treatment be continued?" Mrs. Eddy says that we must persist until the human condition is harmonious. She tells us in Science and Health (p. 412), "Realize the presence of health and the fact of harmonious being, until the body corresponds with the normal conditions of health and harmony."

Nothing weakens error's claim to reality and importance more than our steadfastness in the way of Christ, Truth. Even in the face of discouragement, a willingness to persist in our trust in God's ability to heal has often brought the light needed for healing.

Our teen-age daughter prayed for herself and had Christian Science treatment for over a year without apparent improvement. She had what seemed to be a serious foot condition, and finally she was able to walk only with great difficulty. She became discouraged, and at her request I went with her to see a reputable medical doctor about an examination. He told her that she had several ingrown growths in her foot and that they could be removed only by surgery.

As we left the doctor's office, I saw the fear in our daughter's eyes. She was entirely silent until we got into the elevator. Then a wonderful thing happened; in a flash I saw the fear leave her eyes, and she whispered to me: "Mother, I will never have any help but Christian Science. God will heal me, and I won't give up until He does."

We went home and together continued to resist the claim that there could be imperfection in the spiritual child of God. Within a week our daughter was entirely free from the condition and was able to participate in athletic activities at school. This was over two years ago, and the healing has remained permanent.

Occasionally a student will work very hard in his endeavor to gain an understanding of Christ, Truth, when he wants to be healed of suffering; but, once free, he seems to lose his inspiration and does only a small amount of halfhearted daily study. This loss of incentive to progress spiritually is the way evil would attempt to lull us into an apathetic state and to keep us so interested in human events that we feel there is no time for study. This argument of evil must be resisted vigorously.

When an unexpected problem confronts him, the student of Christian Science should be always prepared, always strong in his faith and understanding of God as all-powerful Mind, Principle, Life, Love. Jesus made it clear that only by persisting and by continuing in the way that he taught would we find the truth that frees. He said (John 8:31, 32), "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

To all those disciples of Christ Jesus who are struggling for healing today, Christian Science says with love: Resist the illusion that your life is dependent in any way on matter. God is Life. He is your life. Insist on this truth, and it will make you free. Persist with this truth until you are completely whole and every facet of your life is in perfect harmony. You have the one true God, the God of Abraham, Moses, Jacob, and Christ Jesus with you as you pray. Insist, resist, persist! You cannot help winning.