In this occasional series, individuals share how taking Christian Science Primary class instruction has strengthened their spiritual understanding, and brought increasing inspiration and healing to their lives.
Beautiful answers
Well, the “right time” came when I was least expecting it. About six months after I’d graduated from college, I found myself in an unhappy situation. I was making some very poor moral choices, even though I knew they were wrong and had prayed for years to overcome these issues. I felt so ashamed and separated from God, and knew I needed to call a Christian Science practitioner to help me pray.
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While I was considering whom to call, the name of the teacher I’d picked out all those years ago popped into my head. “No way!” I thought. My first contact with her shouldn’t be to work through such an embarrassing problem, right? I wanted this person to think I was ready for class instruction, not to hear how much I was struggling with a major moral issue.
But the message came again, gently suggesting that this was, in fact, the perfect time to ask this person for prayerful treatment. If it was right to bring up class instruction at some point, I would know when and how.
I did make the call, explaining my desire to be free (I didn’t mention class). Her loving response was perfect, and the healing began to take place at once.
Our Christian Science association is the ideal support group for our commitment to be active healers.
Several days later, when I called to say that I would no longer need her to pray for me, I still felt a bit nervous asking about class instruction, but before I hung up the phone, I took a deep breath and asked her about her class that year. I was surprised when she invited me to apply. I loved reading through the application and answering each question prayerfully. After I submitted my application and was accepted, all the other logistical arrangements worked out so perfectly that I could write a separate testimony about each one. Most meaningful to me, however, was the proof of God’s loving guidance. I realized that if both teacher and student humbly pray to know the best way forward, then beautiful answers unfold to reveal the complete idea. Every needful thing is punctually provided for along the way, because the willingness, opportunity, and necessary supply are all a part of the idea itself.
Now that I’m part of a Christian Science students’ association, I feel so privileged to attend the yearly meeting, I truly wouldn’t miss that day for anything in the world. Each pupil’s dedicated work over the course of the year—each healing, each treatment given, the challenges faced—serves to support the growth of the entire group. This, to me, is a vital support to the Christian Science movement, and the world. Each student’s experience of attending class instruction is a demonstration of God’s love for us as individuals, but it is also a demonstration for mankind.
We take class instruction to learn how to heal, and our association is the ideal support group for our commitment to be active healers.
As Mary Baker Eddy explains: “Love for God and man is the true incentive in both healing and teaching. Love inspires, illumines, designates, and leads the way. Right motives give pinions to thought, and strength and freedom to speech and action. … Wait patiently for divine Love to move upon the waters of mortal mind, and form the perfect concept” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 454). Waiting unselfishly and joyfully for divine guidance, we can certainly trust that God is directing every detail of this important step in our spiritual growth.
