To gain even a glimpse of the truth that man is free from limitations of matter, disease, sin, lack, inability, and fear is wonderfully freeing. Mrs. Eddy states in Miscellaneous Writings, "Mind is not confined to limits; and nothing but our own false admissions prevent us from demonstrating this great fact." ^{Mis., pp. 42-43.}

In stating this truth, Mrs. Eddy is answering a specific question about healing. Yet she herself certainly demonstrated its broader implications in many ways. In an age when few women had opportunities for higher education or advance in the business world, and even fewer could vote, she discovered the Science of Christ and the efficacy of treating disease through spiritual means. She wrote the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health. She established the Church of Christ, Scientist, to reestablish the practice of Christian healing. She organized it as a worldwide Church, and in her eighty-eighth year she founded a newspaper, The Christian Science Monitor, that has won international renown. She allowed no argument of human limitation to prevent the fulfillment of her God-given mission.

To admit limitation is to experience limitation. God never limits man. God is infinite, everywhere, and the infinite includes no limitations. Individuals limit themselves by identifying with mortality, which is always limited; and by thinking of themselves as mortals with built-in restrictions imposed by birth, heredity, environment, and circumstances. The statement "I have my limitations" is a denial of the one I, or Ego, God, Mind, which has no limitations.

Referring to the children of Israel, the Psalmist recalled: "How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert! Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel." ^{Ps. 78:40, 41.} The wilderness times of human trials or the desert times of human lack are the very times when we need to side with infinite good instead of with limitation, discouragement, and defeat. "Even God can't help me now." What a misstatement! God is ever willing and able to help in any situation.

God is eternally omnipresent. He is in all places at all times, knowing no boundaries nor limits. Infinite Mind knows no limits by reason of its being infinite; consequently, its infinite manifestation, man—Mind's spiritual idea—can manifest only unlimited qualities and resources. As Mrs. Eddy states, "The infinite can neither go forth from, return to, nor remain for a moment within limits." ^{Christian Healing, p. 4.} To identify oneself persistently with infinite idea—to declare that "God made man perfect" and then know that this is the truth of one's own being—is to lay off limitations.

Human thought may accept limitations rooted in the past— heredity, background, human history; limitations threatening the future—educational or economic barriers, lack of contacts or opportunities, uncertainties; and limitations of the present—discrimination based on age, sex, or race, closed doors, fears, and frustrations. What lies of limitation we can lay off as we first lay off the lie of mortality! It is not easy. Mortal concepts seem to cling to us until purification and spiritualization of thought bring release from matter's hypnotic pull. We can begin by refusing to act like mortals, by willingly discarding false character traits and conscientiously practicing the Christly qualities comprised in our true nature. Like Jesus, we can progressively lay claim to the infinite possibilities available to us and disclaim mortal limitation of every sort.

The Master overcame limitations of time, space, and circumstance. He was not impressed with the statements that a man had been blind from his birth, that a woman had had an issue of blood twelve years, that another had been crippled for eighteen years, or that Lazarus had lain in a tomb for four days. To Christ Jesus it was never too late to heal. It never took too long or was too hard or too complicated.

Of course, the patient's part in healing includes some willingness "to be born again"—a rebirth in consciousness of whatever is needed individually, whether faith, obedience, love, forgiveness, patience, gratitude, or a more spiritual view of God and man. Then God's healing law can be applied with an immediate result.

What made Christ Jesus so sure? What gave him such authority? What was the secret of his healing success? For one thing, his unlimited spiritual viewpoint. We read in Miscellaneous Writings, "The limited view of God's ideas arose from the testimony of the senses." ^{Mis., p. 164.} The Master was unimpressed by sense testimony. He listened to spiritual sense. The mist of mesmerism from sense testimony couldn't obscure his consciousness of perfect creation. Man's spiritual perfection was proved by the Saviour's mighty works. He demonstrated that unlimited, perfect Life is forever present to replace any dream of death; that unlimited perfect Truth is forever present to annul any lie of disease; that unlimited perfect Love is forever present to wipe out any stain of sin.

As professed followers of the Master, Christians have a spiritual responsibility to put off limitations constantly and progressively. To accept limits for man would be to accept limits for God, since the creation reflects its creator. God's image and likeness must image Him, and so unlimited being is man's spiritual birthright. To deny that birthright is to deprive oneself, in belief, of the divine heritage of good.

Instead of accepting the self-imposed limitations of "I can't," "I never have," "I never could," we all have the divine right and privilege to follow Christ Jesus, who declared, "The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." ^{John 5:19.} Unlimited capacities belong to both Father and son! This knowledge enables each of us progressively to establish in individual experience, through spiritual growth, the fact that there truly are no limits.