Severe headache healed

One morning, I awoke with a severe headache. It was so intense that I could not get out of bed. My favorite thing to do when struggling with a problem is to read the Bible, but I couldn’t even do that at this point. Instead, I listened to several Sentinel Watch podcasts on my phone and then quietly listened for a thought-changing angel message—inspiration—from God.

Immediately, this phrase often used by athletes around the world came to mind: “All or nothing.” God inspired my prayers even further with this sweet message: “If God is All, then every single thought that you have must be good. If God is Love, then all of your thoughts must be loving. If God is infinite, then you cannot have any thoughts of error, not even one.” 

I recognized that this was referring not to me as a mortal, but to my real, spiritual nature as the expression of God, infinite Mind. Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, explains how we can take an all-or-nothing approach to divine Spirit (All) and matter (nothing), and to good (All) and evil (nothing). Throughout her writings, using Scripture and divine inspiration as her only guides, she shows us that we have the natural ability to understand that God is All. She encourages each one of us to take a firm stand that Spirit is All, and that matter and material sense are nothing—they have no place in the true, spiritual universe. 

In Unity of Good, Mrs. Eddy writes, “Here comes in the summary of the whole matter, wherewith we started: that God is All, and God is Spirit; therefore there is nothing but Spirit; and consequently there is no matter” (p. 34).

From this statement, I knew that thinking that I, as God’s spiritual creation, could have a headache was definitely an error. And since God is All, not even one thought of error can actually belong to us. All true thoughts are filled with love because they come from God, who is limitless Love.

This really woke me up to the practicality of God’s allness and infinitude. Every true thought must actually be good, emanating from divine Love. If it isn’t good, it doesn’t come from God; it’s a counterfeit. What a relief!

Upon realizing this vital truth, I found myself completely free of pain. God is All; therefore, God’s love is all around, and is expressed in us, too. 

Later that evening, as I was standing at the front door of my branch Church of Christ, Scientist, greeting guests and members at the Wednesday night testimony meeting, the pain started to creep back in again. But this time, I was fully prepared with a thought of immediate dismissal: “What never was, cannot be.” I held to this thought throughout the service and delighted in hearing scriptural readings about opening our door of thought to the fullness of Christ’s love for us. 

As we sang this comforting verse from a hymn together, I knew the pain was gone for good:

And it was. The headache did not return.

The healing power of Christ, Truth, is always available to everyone. The allness of God becomes more evident as we embrace God’s view as our own view. It’s an “all or nothing” approach to divine Love, and it heals!

Lindsey Roder