From my experience some healings come instantly or during short period of time as others require patience, persistence and firmness of our faith. Even though faith in God or Good helps to overcome our worldly trials but often because of lack of the divine knowledge we are not able to see the end of our sufferings. When human will is added to that faith we, pressing strongly our teeth, think that we stand firmly on the ground and fulfill God's will, but in reality we begin to feel moral weariness, dissatisfaction and discouragement.
All these negative qualities only disarm us spiritually and we become helpless because of our own false beliefs. Here it is good to remember a statement of the founder of Christian Science Mary Baker Eddy, "man's extremity is God's opportunity". Though our hope that all will be well strengthens our faith but that hope, tired from the long expectation, often does not bring a desirable result in the seemed complicated situation for us.
When we begin to realize, understand and demonstrate the rules of the Christian Science of Mind-healing the favorable outcome comes into our life now not at the uncertain future. In the Bible 2 Kings 4:18-37 a story about woman and her son from Shunem is described. When a son of that woman died she did not accept that as a true fact and as a result of that her son was raised by a prophet's prayer. Therefore in proportion as our realization of the law of Christian Science is clear, inharmonious events which in reality are unreal, will become less real in our life and finally they will not have any power over us. We can experience God's grace now and the author of Psalms expresses this idea in the line, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" (Ps. 46:1). In the main work of Mrs. Eddy "Science and Health with key to the Scriptures" she writes, "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 1:1-4).
Thus in the process of the purification of our consciousness, thoughts we learn to be led not by a blind faith but by above mentioned spiritual qualities "an absolute faith, a spiritual understanding and unselfed love" in God. By this method we free our consciousness from previous fears, doubts and prejudices and then we experience a joyful healing from any kind of infirmity. Constancy and persistence with the oil of joy and love to God play the important part in that mental process. In I Thes. 5:17 the Apostle Paul exclaims: "Pray without ceasing".
As a seed sown in the blessed soil will grow in a certain time (though our disarmed eye cannot see its growth underground) a demonstration of constancy and patience points on our solid knowledge that the divine law is always in operation despite we cannot see that law as well. As the seed requires moisture and light in a definite quantity as we often need vivifying sip of water. This sip of water is the word of God for us which not only calms and reassures us in unbearable situations but above all inspires and animates our life.
The following case illustrates perfectly the necessity of persistence in prayer to obtain a harmonious effect. Two years ago my wife noticed a small bump under her breast. Me did not take seriously that fact. After some time that bump became to increase and condense in size and my wife began experiencing fears of undesirable growth in her body. In those moments of fears and doubts (which were present and like unmoved snake set in my wife's thoughts before that bump as well) we tried to realize for us both that we have only spiritual substance and therefore matter does not have any reality or power.
For some time these declarations of Truth were giving some comfort to my wife who trusted in the power of God and my sincere prayer completely. When growth of that bump continued (fear increased) and some painful feeling appeared, a sense of fear became to prevail at my wife and she expressed a desire to remove that growth by surgical operation. I was not happy to hear that and I said to my wife that that method is not divine but a decision I put into God's hands. Soon we decided to trust God only. Long seven months I persistently purified my consciousness from the smallest manifestations of fear and I kept clear in my mind that my wife as a God's child, is free from all fears and doubts.
Realizing also that every branch that brings not fruit must be pruned and destroyed, I tried to imagine clear there was not any place for that bump in harmonious spiritual body. One evening my wife declared Truth about her spiritual being with strong faith and spirit and next morning a liquid started pouring out of that growth. In few minutes the little pieces of flesh, penetrated with very thin veins, had appeared. We pulled them out with the great efforts. After that bloodless and painless procedure only a small hole left which disappeared during following few days. My wife and I sincerely praised God's power and love to us and for that life's lesson which we both must have experienced.
So, as a well with cool water gives strength to a traveler in the desert the same living power of the Word of God purifies our mind. Being in that consciousness of Happiness and Harmony of Soul, all our worries and discouragements are dissolved as a mist under sunshine!
If you would like to explore more about Spirituality and Health based on Metaphysical Healing Prayer you can look at http://www.healing-prayer.net or you can e-mail me: mib@fhills.hotkey.net.au