Patience and healing

JOHN H. WILLIAMS

Patience—the right kind of patience—can contribute measurably to healing. This is the patience that is quiet and unafraid, buoyant and expectant of good, sure of God's supremacy. Such forbearance strengthens our resolve to do better. The wrong kind of patience, on the other hand, is tinged with fear, doubt of God's all-power.

We can bring the divine essence of patience into our lives. It is a characteristic that enables us to grow spiritually until the bud of understanding blossoms and the fruit begins to form. With it we perceive with increasing clarity the potency and love of one perfect God and the immortal status of the real man, God's expression. These divine facts, revealed through patient study and prayer, enable us to nullify the false concepts of man as sick, handicapped, limited in any manner. James wrote, "Let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."^{James 1:4;}

Patience is not always needed in healing. If our understanding is sufficiently tuned to God, if our enlightened faith in Love's omnipotence shines brightly enough, healing will be instantaneous, as is often the case. However, if we have not yet discerned enough of the Christ, Truth, to destroy the error and heal at once, then greater comprehension is needed. This is where patience comes in.

The demand is that we realize the truth of being—of God and man—and remain undismayed by the arguments of the carnal mind. This is the time to recognize that our greatest need is to draw closer to God and perceive more of His infinite love. A higher understanding of Him is the basic requirement for every healing, and sometimes we have to be willing to work patiently for this.

We should remember we are just scratching the surface of Christian Science and we need to pursue a growing comprehension of it. But even with a limited hold on Truth we have the right to expect prompt healing. Mrs. Eddy states, "A grain of Christian Science does wonders for mortals, so omnipotent is Truth, but more of Christian Science must be gained in order to continue in well doing."^{Science and Health, p. 449;} If more than a grain is needed, God gives us the singleness of purpose to continue our work until we gain it. It will surely appear as we persist in growing toward Spirit.

Patience doesn't ask why or when. It turns away from mortality and its dreams and strives to discern only what is spiritually true. It doesn't mind waiting, knowing that divine unfoldment follows Mind's timetable, not men's. Mrs. Eddy writes, "Through patience we must possess the sense of Truth; and Truth is used to waiting."^{Miscellaneous Writings, p. 268.}

As we recognize the need for patience in advancing toward the added perception required to consummate a healing, we will be on guard to resist impediments to our progress. The carnal mind would amplify its specious suggestions of discouragement, hopelessness, depression, resignation to long delay. We need only know that these arguments have no source and no power to interfere with the divine revelation of the Truth that heals. Then they are destroyed.

Christ Jesus was patient in teaching his followers and in demonstrating the healing power of divine Truth. His love enabled him to be forbearing. But he did not have to exercise patience in waiting for healing to occur; his great grasp of Truth enabled him to heal instantaneously. We will do the same when our grasp of Science approximates his. In the meantime we can remember that we have the divinely endowed ability to express patience, which supports us as we move ahead. We can cultivate this quality. It is sometimes an indispensable ingredient in healing.

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