Last week, I lectured at a Christian Science Youth Summit in Chicago, Illinois, and had a wonderful time talking with dozens of teens and college age students.
My talk was recorded and has been posted on tmcyouth.com as a podcast.
The intro states:
Would you like to be able to heal people? Christian Science lecturer Evan Mehlenbacher shares some tried and true rules for healing that come from the most advanced form of healing there is today: Christian Science.
If you want to listen, click here, “You can be a healer.”
Evan:
I am a lifelong Christian Scientist, but have been struggling, mentally, to understand something.
Recently, a woman I know passed away. She was 51 or so. She and her family are DEVOUT Christian Scientists. They had been praying for her for months and months. She ended up being taken care of in a Christian Science nursing care facility. I am just wondering and perplexed that if she had such a strong support system spiritually, and no doubt, wonderful healers helping her metaphysically, she still passed away. I am wondering why with all of her support, etc. and from such a “staunch,” “spiritually steeped” family of Christian Scientists, why she didn’t experience healing.
Can you possibly touch on this for me, as it has been bothering me for months!
-Emilia
…in my father’s house are many mansions…
Hi Emilia,
I can understand your concerns. To resolve the issue, it helps to put everything into perspective. Oh how much any of us would love to heal any problem anytime and eliminate all suffering from earth this instant! But experience proves otherwise.
We all have much to learn to master all evil and demonstrate the fullness of God’s good. The full demonstration will come in time, but we must be humble while we work it out.
The woman you speak of was immensely benefited by her practice of Christian Science. And all the prayers given on her behalf did make a positive difference. There is no doubt about that. The full healing wasn’t realized here on earth, but that does not detract from all the good that was accomplished on her behalf and will accumulate for the future success of others.
From what you describe, it sounds like there was a major belief of error to meet. Some problems seem a lot tougher to heal than others. All of us have that experience in life. But do we give up? Never! We keep on learning, growing and going, knowing that the ultimate prize will be won.
In this age of severe consequences from many medical treatments, and still hopelessness, the less than complete healing of one who has turned to God with her whole heart does not detract from the value of seeking spiritual healing even if the full healing wasn’t realized. The benefits that come along the way still outweigh any seeming attraction from alternatives.
Every healing is ultimately spiritual. Physical remedies sometimes bring temporary relief, and have their place at times, but every problem still has to be worked out spiritually eventually, for the underlying cause of suffering is an error in thought that needs a truth-antidote.
Each adult makes their own call as to how they’re going to work out their salvation, and I respect whatever decision they make on their own behalf.
Through “prayer and fasting” tough cases are cured, as Jesus instructed. The type of occasion you mention call forth more of the same. Through “prayer and fasting” we’ll learn collectively how to more effectively cast out these diseases and bring the full healing Jesus has taught we can expect.
Hope that helps!
Hugs,
Thank you, Evan.
That does help a lot.
Hugs back to you,
Emilia
Excellent podcast!!! I loved the statements you made:
“I have a good life to live.”
“We have eyes because we see, not see because we have eyes.”
“Christ heals us of the physical suffering.”
I appreciate your clarity about who we are as a worthy child of God.
Thanks!
Thank you. You are welcome!
Emilia’s comment brought back thoughts I had quite a few years ago when my CS teacher passed on. I too thought things like how could some so yong and spiritually minded not demonstrated over this.
In my study of the scriptures and Mrs. Eddy’s writings I found comfort and the road to the answer I was looking for. To me there were two phrases that Mrs. Eddy uses that helped to get me on the right track: “problem of being” and “mystery of being.” These brought to mind the old saying of the 1960’s, I think, of “What’s the meaning of Life.” What are we supposed to doing. Seems that solving the “problem of being” is what the bible refers as discarding the old man, the carnal mind, and putting on the new mind, the mind of Christ”
Now what seems to be the current life, this seeming physical realm, and the socalled after life, that is, after “death,” is all the same thing–the dream of mortality. And that for the one that has “passed on” they are doing the same thing both before and after the human body death experience, they are working on that “problem of life” or spiritualization of thought (as all is mental).
In a way what seems to be death to those of us in the current trend of thought (this physical atmosphere) just means we can’t discern the passed-on person. The person that seems to have passed on is really on the same path both before and after the death experience, working out the problem of being for him/her self. As some of us seem not to have over the belief of cold in this realm, much the same for the belief in death. What ever problems that aren’t worked out here we have to continue to work out after. It’s all (both before and after death–all belief in physical) part of the illusion of mortality. Our job, before and after, is to awake from that illusion of mortality. Therefore death or life before or after death, as physical/mortal beings do not lead us to Life everlasting, but spiritualization of thought at both ends does this.
Garry Pape
Le Mars, IA
Love the podcast, Evan!…loved the comment on “eyes.” Some very helpful insights indeed. My daughter and husband are going to listen to it too! I know it will bless them.
Miki
Thanks Garry. Well said!