One spring, my right arm suddenly became painful. I was not able to use it or lift it normally. Immediately this statement from the Christian Science textbook came to mind: “There is no pain in Truth, and no truth in pain; . . .” (Mary Baker Eddy, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 113).

I called a Christian Science practitioner at different times for metaphysical treatment as I continually turned to God in prayer. One of the helpful ideas that was shared with me was that I am in the arms of divine Love, God. I also prayed with the spiritual fact that all movement and motion are sourced in God. One of my favorite ideas to think about was, “Mind is the source of all movement, and there is no inertia to retard or check its perpetual and harmonious action” (Science and Health, p. 283). I am not the doer; I reflect God, who is the only doer. Jesus said, “I can of mine own self do nothing” (John 5:30).

One day when I was out hiking with my family, I slipped on some stones and couldn’t use my arm as I normally would have done to catch myself. As I became frustrated and upset with the persistence of this problem, my daughter shared some helpful thoughts. The next day the same thing happened, but this time I did not get upset. My daughter encouraged me by saying, “See, Mom, there is progress. You did not get upset this time.”

I thought about the Apostle Paul’s affirmation “In him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28). With that in mind, I reasoned that all movement must be sourced in God and therefore harmonious. I also thought about God being my “refuge and strength,” as it says in Psalms 46:1.

I prayed every morning and read the weekly Bible Lesson found in the Christian Science Quarterly; I also studied passages from the Bible and from Science and Health and Mrs. Eddy’s other published writings. I also was blessed by preparing lessons for my Sunday School students. All this helped me see that matter did not have power to stop, or even delay, normal activity. God is the doer and the mover, not me.

Sometime that fall I became completely free of the problem. I affirmed that in truth it had never been part of my true, spiritual identity as God’s child. I was able to paint a ceiling and do everything I normally do, with freedom.

I am grateful to God for His goodness. I am particularly happy to have had a glimpse of what Paul meant when he said, “In him we live, and move, and have our being.”

Janice Helmstetter
Beavercreek, Ohio, US