A few years ago, while driving to a hotel, I began experiencing intense discomfort in my feet. On the journey, I had been listening to articles from the Christian Science magazines on JSH-Online.com, so I started applying inspiring ideas from the articles to my situation. One of the healing ideas shared was from the answer to the question “What is man?” in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy (p. 475). I began declaring that I was “not made up of brain, blood, bones, and other material elements.” I knew that since I was God’s likeness, it is God, divine Spirit, and not a body, that is the source of my health. So, whenever it seemed my feet were telling me how poorly they were doing, I’d firmly reply, “No. You have nothing to say. I am spiritual and perfect.”

Questions kept popping into thought, such as, “How did this happen?” “What’s going on?” and “How long is this going to last?” I knew these concerns were not coming from God, the one and only Mind. God is all good, and therefore everything Mind expresses is good. This Mind doesn’t speculate about, or even know, disease. It’s a false sense of mind, or mortal mind, that suggests that matter and disease are real. In this case, the suggestion came that I needed to figure out a cause, a name, and a timeline for this condition—and to think of it as something that belonged to me. I rejected these deceptions and turned my attention away from the body to focus on the allness of God, good. I shut out all fearful thoughts. I trusted that I was embraced in God’s tender loving care and that I could reflect and express only the perfect health and harmony of God.

By the time I reached my hotel room, most of the discomfort was gone. I was able to go out to dinner with friends. When I returned to my room, however, the symptoms became more aggressive, and it seemed a second physical problem was developing as well. I couldn’t sleep and was having a hard time praying.