I’ve been working to improve my serve in tennis.
And one lesson I’m learning is to cease being cautious about swinging through my upward stroke to spin the ball over the net into the service box. If I’m one little bit cautious or hesitant in my swing, the ball hits the net or goes too far.
As I was practicing my serve recently, I was impressed by the fact that either my serve went in or it did not go in. There was no gray area. It was either in or out, simple as that. There was no 10% in or 90% in. It was one or the other, black and white, no allowance made for wimpy performance.
And then I noticed how just a little fear or caution in my swing through the ball wrecked the whole outcome. I could do all the movements correctly in swinging through the ball, but if I hesitated when I swung upward and didn’t demonstrate full confidence in my swing, the ball would hit the net. A little fear wrecked the whole outcome. When I conquered the fear and swung with confidence, my serves were beautiful. Winners!
I thought about how the same rule applies to many aspects of life, and spiritual healing in particular.
When praying to God for help we might be getting all the words right, and even living most of our life right, but if fear is creeping into our outlook, that little fear could be wrecking everything else, just like a little fear wrecks a serve that otherwise would be perfect.
Fear is doubt. A prayer adulterated by fear is weak and wimpy. It doesn’t call forth the mighty power of God that the fearless prayer commands.So, don’t let a little fear ruin a whole lot of good ready to happen in your life. God is Almighty Love supplying you with everything you need to thrive and prosper in whatever God is leading you to do. Don’t doubt it for a second. Live the confidence the prayer you utter should inspire. Follow fearlessly through with that serve and strike an Ace!
My husband and I had to have physicals and the doctor pretty much said it was a miracle that we were still walking around and not dead. However, the fear got to be pretty great from all that he said if we didn’t get it taken care of. She said we needed to think about our kids, and all that. We had worked on this through prayer but the material picture looked bleak, so we are on medication now. The thing is, the medication seems to be working very well and hopefully we can get to the point where we don’t need it anymore. Now we are troubled because it seems like we’re straddling two ways: CS and the medical world. And we feel like failures in this regard. The fear kind of overpowered us, but more than that, we felt like our prayers were not effective. We couldn’t afford practitioner help as it wasn’t covered in our insurance as the medical route. It’s not a good feeling but that’s just what happened.
To above,
Step by step we all make our demonstrations of Truth. Your prayers are always having a good effect. And each increased understanding of Truth gets you closer to your final goal of being healed spiritually, from the inside out. Just keep in mind that the medicine is only a temporary measure with a temporal effect. The long term permanent effect that can only come from Truth, is still yours to find and discover! So, keep plunging into Truth, keep praying and growing in your understanding of God and you will find the spiritual blessing you seek.
The first writer’s honest portrayal of issues brought a point to the front. In Obamacare we will be forced to purchase health insurance…and our insurance will likely not cover practitioner help. It’s going to take a big commitment from individual Christian Scientists to seek help through the practitioner route. Financially it becomes a greater and greater challenge. I appreciate this blog…this couple’s honesty is highlighting much that needs to be prayed about.
Government mandated healthcare is what we have in Canada. My husband (not a student of Christian Science) and I have been paying into it for years. I’ve come to realize that true care is not about money or medicine, but about trusting God to meet every need. AND, He does!! Wherever we live we are being compelled to exercise our own innate ability to be CS practitioners and to heal. The previous writer is correct that much prayer is needed so that we don’t become mesmerized by the belief that medicine is the only way. It appears to be a step by step adventure. It’s truly great to know that healing doesn’t take time, and everyone is entitled to true health care which is of God and is immediate. We can rejoice today that the Christ nature in each one of us is blessing the universe. Thanks Evan for continuing your blog and thanks to everyone who so honestly and sincerely contributes!
Ah…yet another insight towards effective prayer! Thank you, Evan!
Some years ago I had a CS friend from England. When I asked how they handled socialized health care as CS’s he just smiled and said “We have just learned how to heal things quick”. I always loved the way he was unimpressed with the whole system.
Thanks for the blog Evan. Made my morning.
All of the above comments including Evan’s post is right on time. They show of God’s answers even as we, I particularly worry. Right now there is a Con Edison strike going on that effects our electric. Not only did I have inspirational thoughts from Spirit Alive but also from Community Discussions that is helping me pray positively about this strike. I liked especially Evan’s where he says don’t adulterate your prayers with fear.
I liked the comment about the English healthcare system. It reminded me that when my children were little, my husband was not in favor of Christian Science. I always knew that whatever came up to be healed would have to be healed before 5pm. And it always was.
It’s hard not to be afraid when we can’t afford a practitioner. It wouldn’t be a problem if everything was always healed with one treatment, but that’s not always been the case. Recently, when the bill was as much as our monthly salary with no apparent healing, we felt that we just couldn’t make it work. The fees are so expensive because insurance doesn’t cover it and the practitioner quotes from the manual that she should charge what a doctor would. I’ve heard too that it’s not hard to become a pratitioner anymore. I knew someone who had a full time job as well s being journal listed. I’ve also called someone just from the journal and the first thing they did was ask me my address (so they knew where to send the bill.) These experiences have made me quite worried about the future and quite fearful to be honest.
That would be nice if every problem was healed in one treatment! Every conscientious practitioner desires the same. But we learn from experience that some issues require more “prayer and fasting” than others. I don’t know of any form of healthcare anywhere that promises to heal every problem in one treatment.
I understand what you’re saying about insurance, but there are insurance policies that cover Christian Science treatment if one feels that is a need. But even better, over all, when one practices Christian Science one’s healthcare costs are greatly minimized compared to the medical model. I’ve known of many people saddled with medical bills in the tens of thousands, and no healing.
Also, with Christian Science treatment, if you’re concerned about bills, don’t feel like you need to have treatment everyday. Truth is the healer. Trust Truth more and expect to receive its benefits far after a treatment is given. The effects of a treatment are long lasting and far reaching.
Christian Science is in no danger of being lost. It is the ultimate solution to the healthcare crisis facing many parts of the world today. Thought is inevitably moving in the direction of going to God for care. There is no better place.
I love honesty. and I love seeing it expressed here in this blog. I think the expression of pure Truth allows for honest exploration of issues confronting us all. I grew up a CS and it was a no brainer to call a CS practitioner for help. But through the years, I have endeavored to be an independent thinker and worker and practice in trusting God to heal me without thinking I have to call the practitioner. Who am I really calling? Eddy tells us over and over we are alone with God in working out our being. I think this blog hits on the need for better healers is the need to rise above fear and doubt. Who is doing the healing anyway? Is it about healing or is it about spiritual listening and leaving the old for the new? Healthcare isn’t plop in a pill or dial the practitioner on the cell. It’s about our desire to be the spiritual child we are in all perfection and glory. Sher
Evan, your responses are so loving and gentle. Thank you.
Although this has nothing to do with the metaphysical point you make in your post, I wonder if you have ever read the book “The Inner Game of Tennis” by W. Timothy Gallwey? (Random House 1974) On page 137 we read, “Like Jonathan L. Seagull, are we not an immeasurable energy in the process of manifesting, by degrees, an unlimited potential?” Remind you of anything? There are so many passages that tie in with what you say about your game. Just thought I’d mention it.
Hi Nancy,
Thank you! I think I do have the tennis book you mention. The “inner game” is sure an important one when it comes to tennis–and everything else we do.
I too thank you Evan for maintaining your blog page because as I see this was July 2012 and it is already Jan 2013 today. I am so blessed to have found the right inspirational talks here as I needed to search on what you say about ‘effective prayer’. The comments are educating too. I’d like to share what came to me before opening to this page. I recognized the need to practice more and more to fill my consciousness with Truth and Love instead of a physical condition which introduces doubt and fear.
For me I seldom have called for help from a CS practitioner because since I attended Sunday School 50 years ago I prayed for myself and I always had quick healing. But for a so-called feet problem I had to call a CS practitioner for support. During the treatment period I was healed of a fear about practitioner’s fee. Even that, God provideso.