Faith | Prayer and faith in God’s power can help heal us
A few months ago, I felt distressing signs of a cold settling into my body. It appeared that I had a week of suffering ahead of me and there wasn’t anything I could do about it.
But wait! I protested. There is something I can do. I can pray for a reversal of symptoms, I decided.
I knew from experience that God’s power was present to heal me spiritually.
The teachings of Jesus Christ are my inspiration when seeking guidance on how to heal physical ailments with prayer.
Jesus understood the connection that exists between what a person thinks and the health they experience. Through the uplifting influence of God’s mind, he could move a person’s thought, and the body it governed, from one of suffering to good health.
In explaining the role thought plays in affecting the course of one’s health, to a woman he healed of chronic hemorrhaging, he said, “Your faith has made you well” (Mark 5:25-34, NLT). To a man he cured of leprosy, the master healer affirmed, “Your faith has healed you” (Luke 17:11-19, NLT). To a man whose sight he restored, Jesus exclaimed, “Your faith has healed you” (Mark 10:46-52, NLT).
It wasn’t just any faith that brought these people healing.
It was their newfound faith in the might of God they witnessed in the life and acts of Jesus Christ that wrought a cure. Their faith moved from believing they were helplessly lost in a disease, to believing God’s power could cancel their disease and restore health.
As I prayed for inspiration to eliminate my cold symptoms, I examined my faith to see where it was placed. Was I honoring God as a supremely good influence over my health or was I admitting a lesser power in control of my body?
As I was honest with myself, I was honoring a lesser power.
I was afraid of germs. I had people around me suffering from colds. I believed that their suffering had become my suffering. I began to see that my faith was focused more on fearing a bad effect from germs, than it was in knowing God’s almighty power to keep me healthy.
I was aware of physical predictions that come from being exposed to germs, but I also see in Jesus’ healing work, the superiority of spiritual power over material. As Jesus proved every time he healed a sick person, the might of God can neutralize and overturn harmful effects from physical laws.
As I prayed to see the might of God at work throughout my being, sustaining good health and protecting me from harm, I found peace about my health. Under God’s care I felt assured that all would be well.
A few hours later, I noticed that the cold symptoms had vanished. I was healthy, free of suffering, and grateful for the quick turnaround.
I’ve had many similar experiences over the years from turning to God in prayer when feeling physically distressed.
It’s heartening to understand that we don’t have to wave the white flag of surrender when symptoms of suffering start to develop in the body. We can challenge them with spiritual truth, even reverse them.
God’s might and love is an ever-present help that can reverse symptoms of suffering and keep us healthy.
Evan Mehlenbacher is a practitioner and teacher of Christian Science in Richland, and a member of the Christian Science Church in Pasco. Questions and comments should be directed to editor Lucy Luginbill in care of the Tri-City Herald newsroom, 4253 W. 24th Avenue, Kennewick, WA 99338. Or email lluginbill@tricityherald.com.
