I began running and racing over twenty years ago in high school

Craig Parks

I began running and racing over twenty years ago in high school. I have experienced several healings of running-related injuries, and I would like to share one that occurred during my first year in college.

While I was on a training run a sharp pain suddenly developed in my knee. I had never had any running injuries prior to this, so I assumed it would go away quickly.

As the time stretched on into weeks, my praying, I realized later, was misplaced. I had been focused on treating the knee instead of my thought. In Science and Health Mrs. Eddy states, "Eradicate the image of disease from the perturbed thought before it has taken tangible shape in conscious thought, alias the body, and you prevent the development of disease" (p. 400). I had failed to do this when the injury first occurred.

When, less than a week before the first track meet, the knee had not improved in the smallest degree, I became very concerned about competing at all in the upcoming track season. At this point I called a Christian Science practitioner to treat my thought through prayer. He pointed out what Mrs. Eddy says, "Have no fear that matter can ache, swell, and be inflamed as the result of a law of any kind, when it is self-evident that matter can have no pain nor inflammation" (Science and Health, p. 393). I began to understand that the knee would not suffer at all if it weren't for the belief in suffering, which I could eliminate from my thought. In two days I was back training, and two days later, the pain completely dissolved. I ran in that first track meet glorifying God for the freedom I had discovered.

About two years ago a pain developed in my hip, making running very difficult. I prayed to understand more fully that running is not a way to "get in shape" or "stay fit," but that it is a glorification of God. While running I am expressing His strength and power, not some human strength. I continued my daily running and prayer. I do not recall how long the pain persisted, but after a few days it had simply vanished. A verse from Psalms sums up my gratitude for the wonderful evidence of God's constant support and guidance: "I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore" (86:12).

Craig Parks
Rifle, Colorado

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