One Monday morning I woke up feeling intense pain in one hip. I got up with difficulty and hobbled when I walked. This had not happened before, and I thought that perhaps this was from an unusually long hike the previous day. But through my study of Christian Science, I knew the only cause of my existence to be God, who made me in His image and likeness, so I quickly stopped trying to identify a physical cause.

However, this was followed by another thought suggesting that the problem might be serious. It felt as if I were in the midst of a battle between the pain and remembering my identity as God’s image and likeness. I thought I would have to cancel my activities that week, including an important meeting a few days away. The meeting was a potentially sensitive one based on an employee complaint, and I had been praying about how to approach the conversation.

As the day progressed, the pain seemed worse. I was unhappy about the possibility of having to use a cane or other assistance for some period. I also felt as if I were negotiating with my body to move and sit with the least amount of pain.