You Don't Have To Feel Ill

IT'S great to feel well, and it is possible! But if you're feeling ill or suffering, it can be hard to believe that many are being healed every day by recognizing that they are spiritual ideas of God, made in His image and likeness.

Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, writes in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: ``The physical healing of Christian Science results now, as in Jesus' time, from the operation of divine Principle, before which sin and disease lose their reality in human consciousness and disappear as naturally and as necessarily as darkness gives place to light and sin to reformation. Now, as then, these mighty works are not supernatural, but supremely natural.''

The ``operation of divine Principle'' is what enables us to perceive our spiritual identity. This doesn't mean that we change one world (a physical one) for another (a spiritual one), but rather that we realize that spiritual existence is the only reality here and now. Christ Jesus tells us clearly in the Gospel of John, ``It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.''

Spiritualization of thought is, therefore, the answer to healing discords of every sort. I experienced vivid proof of this in a healing I had years ago. Several weeks after the birth of our daughter, I became ill. I was confined to bed and unable to care for the new baby, so my husband lovingly hired household help. One afternoon I woke to find family members hovering over me with looks of great fear and distress. I became fearful, too, and realized that I must begin praying even more earnestly to spirit ualize my thoughts if I ever expected to see my little daughter grow into a young lady.

I am a student of Christian Science, and I had been healed through prayer often enough to know that I could be healed of this illness also. I began to commune with God, my loving, interested Father-Mother. I didn't talk aloud, as that was not necessary, but I listened and prayed to know that my real identity is spiritual and could not be touched by sickness or death. My fear subsided and I fell into a peaceful sleep. I woke the following day feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. The pain had completely gone . As I sat up in bed, I noticed that a fluid had drained from my body. I knew I was healed and silently thanked God. There was no convalescent period. I immediately began taking care of the new baby. She is now a mother also, and I am enjoying happy times with her son, my grandson.

Mrs. Eddy writes in Science and Health: ``Consciousness constructs a better body when faith in matter has been conquered. Correct material belief by spiritual understanding, and Spirit will form you anew.''

Yes, through prayer you can gain the spiritual understanding that rids you of illness. You can feel and be well because you, too, are God's spiritual, perfect child. He made you in His image and likeness. In the Bible, the book of Acts speaks of God when it tells us, ``In him we live, and move, and have our being.

We can rejoice in these facts, or truths, knowing that we are happy, well, and complete, because God made us this way. We are then eliminating from our consciousness erroneous thoughts that suggest we are finite mortals, subject to illness. This promotes healing. Claim your genuine spiritual identity for yourself. It is yours by divine right!