Suffering from a debilitating chronic ailment can be extremely discouraging. But as Mary Baker Eddy wrote in the textbook of Christian Science, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: “To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, to-day is big with blessings” (p. vii). And in the textbook she relates the story of a Mr. Clark, who suffered chronically from a hip wound caused by falling on a wooden spike when he was a child (see pp. 192–194). The wound never completely healed, and eventually worsened to a point where it was deemed fatal by medical authority. Called to the case, Mrs. Eddy, through prayer alone, restored Mr. Clark to health soon after entering the home where he lay dying. At the conclusion of this account, she explains the power at work in this prayer-effected healing: “It has been demonstrated to me that Life is God and that the might of omnipotent Spirit shares not its strength with matter or with human will.”

What stands out to me in this quote is her absolute conviction that Spirit is the only power at work in healing. Material means and human will did not enhance Spirit’s strength and restorative power in Mr. Clark’s case. Omnipotent divine Spirit is sufficient by itself and needs no assistance, since Spirit is the “sustaining infinite” that blesses those who lean on it.

For nearly twenty years I suffered from migraine headaches. They became so predictable in two-week cycles that I blocked out the days on my calendar when these headaches were expected and would schedule nothing on those days. As a Christian Scientist, I called on Christian Science practitioners over the years for prayerful help, but while I often received relief from the pain, the two-week cycle persisted. My wife would read to me from Science and Health while I lay in bed unable to think or pray for myself. The readings would calm my thought, and I would drift off to sleep peacefully, but two weeks later the headaches would return.

Discouragement set in, and I resorted to pills for relief. While this did result in a reduction of pain, the headaches continued, and I knew the pills were no cure. Also, during this time I drank caffeinated coffee in the mornings and would switch over to soft drinks in the afternoon. It seemed to me a harmless habit. Friends told me caffeine was good for migraines; others advised that it was not good. I determined to drop the habit “cold turkey.” The withdrawal itself was quite painful, but I endured it on several occasions over the years in the hope that eliminating caffeine would cure the headaches. It didn’t. Furthermore, the desire to drink coffee and soft drinks remained, and I would eventually resume the habit.

Having experienced the discouragement that came with these chronic and debilitating headaches, I have immense compassion for anyone suffering from this condition. I had reached a point of hopelessness at which I was certain this malady would be my lifelong cross to bear. And yet, a glimmer of hope remained because I had experienced healings before through prayer in Christian Science.

Some seventeen years into this battle, I decided to drop all medicine, cease repeated attempts to will myself off of caffeine, and instead rely wholly on God, Spirit. Thinking about the healing of Mr. Clark, I determined to stand solely on the omnipotence of Spirit and not try to assist Spirit with matter (i.e., pills) or to augment Spirit with human will (i.e., efforts to wean myself from coffee and soft drinks). I found corroboration for this approach in Paul’s words from the Bible: “(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (II Corinthians 10:4, 5).

I saw these claims, which seemed to have such a strong hold over me, as nothing more than imagination attempting to exalt itself against the knowledge of God. They were only illusion. From that time on, I noticed a remarkable reduction in the pain when the headaches occurred. Though they continued in two-week cycles, I was nevertheless able to function almost normally and with little pain. I was beginning to feel Spirit’s control over my life, and I was encouraged.

Then one day a year ago, I awoke the morning after one of these now mild headaches with a new feeling. It was a calm conviction that can best be described in these words: “You are free.” It was an intuitive feeling that was impossible to ignore, and I felt it was the result of my endeavoring to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of the Christly certainty of my God-given dominion. The conviction was palpable and persistent and brought with it serenity.

Two days later, I had drunk no coffee or soft drinks, had gone through no withdrawal symptoms, and had felt no desire for these drinks. Two more weeks went by, and I still had no desire for them. A month went by, two months, six months, eight months, and more, and not only have I not returned to that habit, but I have also had no headaches. While I may have a decaf cappuccino every now and then or sip a soft drink occasionally, the craving for caffeinated drinks has not returned, and the liberation from that habit and from the headaches is an indescribable joy.

A few months after experiencing this freedom, I began to have doubts as to the authenticity of the healing. A thought kept coming to me that this was merely a physiological adjustment of my body to the removal of caffeine and had nothing to do with spiritual healing. This pesky thought threatened to rob me of my joy. It reminded me of John the Baptist, who initially recognized Jesus as the Messiah, but then later began to doubt and asked, “Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?” (Matthew 11:3). I reasoned that if the removal of caffeine was the cause of the cessation of migraines, then why hadn’t the headaches ceased all those many times I had willed myself off of coffee and soft drinks? As I affirmed that omnipotent Spirit is the only true healing power, and that Spirit needs no assistance, the nagging thought vanished, and my joy returned.

From this experience I learned that, for true healing, the well-intentioned attempts of human will and material means must give way to “the might of omnipotent Spirit.” Spirit is the sole sustaining infinite, and cannot help but bless us when we turn to it with persistence and faith.

I am especially grateful for the practitioners who faithfully prayed with me over these years, and for my wife, whose support never faltered.

If you are suffering from a chronic and apparently hopeless condition, do not give up! God is on your side, and omnipotent Spirit is your strength, by which you will triumph and be free.

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