Throughout most of my life, I have been an avid weightlifter and dedicated athlete. One day I had a bad fall, damaging my right shoulder. There was very intense pain. As a Christian Scientist, I’d had many healings through prayer, and I prayed for myself this time, too. When I didn’t get relief, I decided to see a doctor. He diagnosed a torn rotator cuff and advised surgery as the only solution. I eventually followed through with the recommended surgery. 

I recovered and started weightlifting again—until one day I again injured the same shoulder. This time, in addition to being in pain, I was extremely fearful that I had re-torn my rotator cuff and would have to undergo another surgery. The darkness of fear and anxiety overshadowed any hopeful, pure thoughts of my completely spiritual identity as a child of God. I also didn’t feel I had given claiming my true identity in prayer an honest effort after the initial injury. I now felt trapped in an imprisoning mental state. 

Then one day when the pain was shouting at me with all its seeming might, I responded verbally, “Peace. Be quiet.” The pain left immediately.