While on holiday two years ago, I played badminton in the village hall. As I ran backward to reach a shot, I fell heavily with my foot twisted under me.

My fellow players expressed much concern as I struggled to get to a chair and sit down. Eventually, with the kind assistance of another player, I was able to hobble back to our rented cottage. My wife helped me to negotiate the steep stairs and get ready for bed. The ankle was very tender, and pain woke me often during the night.

As a student of Christian Science, I wanted to heal the injury through prayer. I endeavored to turn my thought to truths I had learned about the infinite goodness of God and His creation. However, fear assailed me because of the dire predictions my fellow players had made about how long it might take to recover—weeks, or even months. One had even remarked that the ankle might be quicker to mend if I’d broken it.