When the pandemic began, my thoughts turned immediately to the allness of God, divine Love, and the ever-present healing power of Christ, the true idea of God. Even with continued news reports about the spread of the disease, striving to better understand the omniaction of God, good, made me less fearful. My prayers affirmed that in the kingdom of heaven, all action is spiritual and impelled by divine Love.

Study of the ninety-first Psalm provided a regular reminder that God’s angels are always watching over me and everyone. I took to heart the following instruction on page 393 of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy: “Rise in the strength of Spirit to resist all that is unlike good. God has made man capable of this, and nothing can vitiate the ability and power divinely bestowed on man.”

After several months, things opened up a little, and my husband resumed his regular routine of going out to lunch once a week with three of his friends. Occasionally these friends would stop in at our home before leaving for lunch. 

I continued with my prayers. However, my husband and I both awoke one morning with symptoms that had been reported as signs of COVID-19. Then, within the hour, my husband received a call informing him that one of his lunch buddies had been previously exposed to the virus, and had been experiencing minor symptoms when he made the decision to go to lunch.

I did not get tested, but my husband did, and he tested positive. He is not a Christian Scientist, and took medication for the persistent cough.

For several days I studied and prayed for healing, but with no improvement. In fact, the symptoms worsened. I was suddenly uncharacteristically angry. “We were doing fine,” I thought. “Why did this friend have to bring this disease into our house?” 

Immediately I saw the problem. I was attempting to see the unreality of disease while at the same time blaming someone for causing it! I turned my thought from anger to God as Love. We learn in the first book of the Bible that man is created in the image and likeness of God, spiritual and perfect. I knew I did not have the authority or ability to see what God has created in any way other than as God sees it. I prayed to see my husband’s friend as a beloved child of God. This was difficult at first, but I knew my job was not to change someone, but to see the truth of his being as God’s child. 

Within minutes, the anger faded away. I was so grateful for how quickly this happened and was inspired to continue praying. I began to think of the disturbing things going on around me on a daily basis, such as political dissension and the sowing of fear, and I applied the truth of Love’s perfect creation to all of it. While praying this way, I suddenly became aware that the worst of my symptoms had greatly diminished. Within a few days, all symptoms were gone. 

Although I was completely well, the quarantine time was not over, and my husband was still ill. In obedience to government guidelines, we had notified those with whom we had been in contact and had canceled upcoming activities. This resulted in news of our situation spreading quickly throughout the neighborhood. We received numerous calls from friends and family sharing speculation, predictions, and fear. Although their intentions were kind, I began to feel that our quiet home was being overwhelmed by mental chaos. 

I prayed to see myself as actually solidly settled in the kingdom of heaven rather than quarantined in a material house. I thought of Christ Jesus, who was so aware of his spiritual identity and his oneness with an all-loving God that he maintained his poise even under the most trying circumstances. I knew the same omnipotent and loving God was right there for all of us, leading away from the clamor of matter-focused thoughts to heavenly peace. 

The Bible says, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear” (I John 4:18). Perfect love, of course, is God’s love. And just as a room filled with light has no vestige of darkness, so God’s perfect love includes no trace of fear. Love and fear cannot abide together. Since God is All, all is Love—and there is no fear. 

As the truth of this statement sank into my consciousness, I could feel surrounding me the peace and joy of divine Love. While talk about the pandemic continued to swirl around us in many forms, I was no longer disturbed by these conversations, knowing that in reality God is caring perfectly for me, my husband, and all of creation. My husband was free soon after this, and so were his friends. And we have all remained well since.  

Linda Copeland Daniels
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, US