What is spiritual healing? A miracle? A rare happenstance? A unique gift belonging to a few God-favored individuals? Or is it based on absolute, provable Science, which can be understood and utilized by everyone?

Christian Science, drawing its authority from the Bible, not only affirms spiritual healing to be provable, but has given evidence of it thousands of times in lives like yours and mine. This Science of Christ insists that all can heal by spiritual means because God is Love and cares impartially for His creation.

Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, assures us: "Love is impartial and universal in its adaptation and bestowals. It is the open fount which cries, 'Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters.'" ^{Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 13;} And Christ Jesus gave us this beautiful promise: "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also." ^{John 14:12;}

In light of this, where does the temptation to doubt our ability to heal come from? It can't be from God, can it? It must be a deceptive concept we no longer have to accept as true.

Think for a moment about those remarkable mountain dwellers, the bighorn sheep and the mountain goat. Dwelling far up in the rugged Sierras, Rockies, and Cascades, these magnificent creatures can ascend almost vertical cliffs with sure-footed ease, leaping and bounding across chasms without hesitation. Can you imagine these natural climbers ever being afraid or doubting their ability to scale the heights? Of course not! Their ability to perform these marvelous feats is inherent in their makeup.

Inherent in their makeup! Even so, our ability to scale the heights of spiritual understanding and healing can come naturally, not partially but fully impelled by our creator. This spiritual capacity leads us to prove what is certified in the first chapter of Genesis—a message which stands throughout time that man is made in the image of God. Not just some men or women, but all may prove this.

Mortal thought, with its fear-laden and limited sensibilities, would argue that the promises sound great but proving them is another matter. Don't believe it! A bighorn lamb doesn't stand around wondering if he can climb—he climbs! At first he's a little wobbly-legged, but he climbs until he's sure-footed and confident. As a new "lamb" in Christian Science, we need the same sort of faith in our God-given ability to heal. With practice and patience, we'll develop the capacity to leap over the chasms of fear, sickness, and lack that now may seem so formidable.

Every challenge, whether mountain or molehill, is an opportunity to learn, to uplift, to heal. We grow stronger, not weaker, by proving our dominion is based on the spiritual understanding that we really are God-endowed. Every healing in Christian Science, no matter how insignificant it may seem, is important because it proves something of man's native perfection.

As our life is gently turned into God-directed paths, it's uplifted. We find that every action we take, every goal we seek, more and more evidences that God is All-in-all. "God is my Life, my Shepherd, my security, my source of joy and fulfillment—and this is true about everyone in my family, my community, and the world." Thoughts like these should fill our heart. Why? Because they harmonize, bring peace of mind... and heal!

To increase our store of Godlike thoughts demands that we draw on the limitless capacities of divine Mind, our all-knowing creator. Acquainting ourselves with divine Mind, we know His thoughts and are alert to reject any ungodlike thought that would dilute or pollute our spiritual sense. Result? The purer and more childlike our thought, the more certain we are of our spiritual capacities.

When our Leader's first pupils were awakened to the infinite possibilities of Mind through her inspired teaching, they were then instructed by her to go out and heal. And heal they did. Christian Scientists today have that same charge, the same basic tools, and the same ability, for it derives from the same healing Principle. Shall we let timidity or doubt stand in our way?

How could we when our hearts are so filled with gratitude? Our study and practice of the basic truths of Christian Science show us we can, indeed, be sure-footed metaphysicians. When we can "climb, with joy, the heights of Mind," ^{Christian Science Hymnal, No. 136.} shall we dawdle in the valley of complacency and worldly pursuits or rest on our laurels after ascending only partway up the mount of demonstration? Or rather shall we push on with a sure hope based on our God-endowed abilities? Only we ourselves can answer these questions. But a whole world will feel the impulse of good when our answer is right.