Healing of sudden chest pains
Struggling to breathe and starting to lose consciousness, a woman turned to God in heartfelt prayer. This brought a tangible feeling of God’s love for her, and in very short order she was completely well.
One day many years ago I was sitting outside, talking to a friend on the phone, when I was seized with an extreme pressure and pain in my heart. At first, I didn’t know what to think. As a lifelong Christian Scientist, I am not usually alarmed by pain, as I have always found turning to God in prayer an effective way to find healing. But in the next instant I also began to have trouble breathing.
While still holding the phone, I bent over and put my head between my knees to see if that would help relieve the pain and the constricted breathing, but it did not. Then, my vision started growing dark, and I realized I was starting to lose consciousness.
I reached out to God in prayer, affirming that God, and not a material heart or body, governs my life. But the situation did not change. So I quieted my thought, and soon the first part of a Bible passage that is read aloud every Sunday in Christian Science church services came to mind: “Beloved, now are we the sons of God” (I John 3:2).
I repeated this statement slowly to myself. “Beloved” meant that God loves me and that I am always in His care as a loved child. But the word in that sentence that was most important to me was “now.” God was telling me that right now – at that very moment, when there seemed to be a serious situation – as God’s child, I am spiritual because God is Spirit, and I can express only the nature of my creator.
A deep calm and sense of God’s love swept over me. I immediately sat up straight. The pain was gone, and my breathing was normal. The day was still bright and sunny, and to my amazement, my friend was still talking on the phone – and had no idea of either the difficulty or the healing!
The healing has remained complete and permanent. I am so grateful to know that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalms 46:1).
Adapted from a testimony published in the Aug. 17, 2020, issue of the Christian Science Sentinel.