When we fill a kettle with water and set it on a lighted burner, we expect the water to boil. We do not wonder if perhaps the law will fail to operate this time and the water remain cold.

When a Christian Science treatment is given, there should be a firm trust in the operation of God's law of harmony and the consequent healing or adjustment. Healing must be expected, for if the scientific laws of well-being are consistently followed, harmony will be manifested. Nothing can stop such an effect.

Our Leader, Mrs. Eddy, speaks of the necessity of having "an absolute faith that all things are possible to God." The complete statement opens the first chapter of the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health: "The prayer that reforms the sinner and heals the sick is an absolute faith that all things are possible to God,—a spiritual understanding of Him, an unselfed love." ^{Science and Health, p. 1.}

The Bible reassures us in many places of God's readiness to help: "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." ^{Jer. 33:3.} And the Psalmist writes, "In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me." ^{Ps. 86:7.} No matter how unhappy or incurable the picture may be, when spiritual facts are brought to bear—and our lives witness to them—healing is inevitable.

The question may arise, Do we really believe that our prayers will be effective—understand why they will be? Or are we just being hopeful? If confidence in God's allness is there, praying is on a scientific foundation.

To have sure results a prayer must have as its basis an absolute conviction that Truth, divine Love, has all power. In the simplest terms, we need to recognize the goodness of God and His willingness to care for His offspring, man and the universe. Deep realization of these facts makes them practical.

The discovery of spiritual reality, which came to her in large part as a result of her study of the Bible, is Mrs. Eddy's priceless contribution to mankind. She perceived the scientific laws that were the basis of Christ Jesus' healings. Through inspiration and revelation she was able to put these laws in a book—the textbook of Christian Science—making them available to all.

When Jesus was told by a centurion that a loved servant was ready to die, the Master replied without hesitation, "I will come and heal him." No doubt there! Healing was his only answer to the request for help. And even though the visit did not take place, the Bible reports that the servant "was healed in the selfsame hour." ^{Matt. 8:7, 13.}

If confronted by illness in ourselves or others, we can be strengthened by Mrs. Eddy's counsel: "Maintain the facts of Christian Science,—that Spirit is God, and therefore cannot be sick; that what is termed matter cannot be sick; that all causation is Mind, acting through spiritual law. Then hold your ground with the unshaken understanding of Truth and Love, and you will win." ^{Science and Health, p. 417.} No uncertainty should be allowed to cast a shadow. Holding in thought these facts with a deep conviction of their reality and availability, and permitting no little doubt-foxes to nibble away at them, we will find healing to be the result.

One time I had called on a Christian Science practitioner for help through prayer. When the ailment failed to yield, the practitioner asked me bluntly if I expected to be cured. I was startled to find that my expectation was for a gradual process of getting better until ultimately I would be well. Then I saw with conviction that the healing was already consummated by the realization that evil is nothing because God is All. The true man, God's perfect idea, has never been an instrument to be played upon by a suppositional evil influence. The change came, almost immediately.

If in prayer our thoughts are based on spiritual conviction, and our words include a realization of what they convey, there will be a change in the mental and physical picture. The results of God's law cannot be stopped. We need only adequately understand and rely on His power.

Let us be convinced that what we are saying is the truth and that we can with confidence leave the certain outcome in God's hands.