Frail-proof yourself

"One does not have to live in fear of falling."

By Robert A. Johnson

One sunny morning a friend of mine got up on a chair to fix a kitchen curtain. She wasn't as careful as she could have been, and she fell and found herself flat on the floor. Rather than think about the fall or how badly she might be hurt, she lay there quietly for a while and turned to God in prayer. She thought about a couple of favorite psalms: "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help" (Ps. 121:1) and, "Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me" (Ps. 139:7–10). This idea from Science and Health meant a lot to her, too: "Never born and never dying, it were impossible for man, under the government of God in eternal Science, to fall from his high estate" (p. 258). The full healing came as she sang hymns. These words from one literally lifted her off the floor:

Everlasting arms of Love
Are beneath, around, above;
God it is who bears us on,
His the arm we lean upon.

From earth's fears and vain alarms
Safe in His encircling arms,
He will keep us all the way,
God, our refuge, strength and stay.

(Christian Science Hymnal, No. 53)

Thinking about the everlasting arms of divine Love, God, being beneath, around, and above, she picked herself up and went about her business. Each challenge that comes her way is met with her deep understanding of God and of His love for her and all His children. She is a very active and joy-filled person, sharing her love for God with others.

Another dear friend had a series of falls. They happened often enough that she called a Christian Science practitioner for healing through prayer. Just as my other friend had, she, too, learned that she is upheld by God, and she has not fallen for several years now.

We can learn from these friends that one does not have to live in fear of falling. God is infinite. That means God is always present, so we can never be separate from Him. Even if we wanted to be separate and could transport ourselves to the most distant galaxy, billions of light-years from earth, God is already there. God is right here in our kitchen, living room, and bedroom, too. We are God's beloved children, made in His likeness, and God is our Father-Mother. It is inconceivable that God's will would ever be for one of His children to fall or be injured. Neither does God create a deteriorating mortal with bones that lose substance or strength. The divine creation—the only creation there is—is spiritual and is always at the pinnacle of its God-given strength and ability.

Understanding your unbreakable relation to God as a beloved son or daughter, you are safe. You never need to fall. But whether you fall or not, remember with conviction that you are always safely held in the arms of infinite Love. They are beneath, around, and above. Understanding this gives us peace, strength, and confidence. Passing years cannot shake that trust. It is normal and natural to be safe and to know that frailty is unknown to God and therefore to His idea, man. You need have no fear. "He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways" (Ps. 91:11).

Understanding your unbreakable relation to God, you are safe.

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