In my study of the Bible, I've often pondered the fact that Jesus, the master Christian, never based his conclusions about well-being on physical evidence. His whole life was about looking to God for answers, and this spiritual perspective enabled him to heal the sick, sinning, and dying. Instead of seeing people who were ill or suffering, he insisted on seeing everyone as the child of God, created "very good," just as the first chapter of Genesis declares.

I had an opportunity to apply some of these ideas one afternoon a couple of years ago when I left our home to jog over and pick up my son from preschool. As I began to increase my pace, I didn't notice some uneven pavement and tripped, twisting my ankle. My first thought was that I'd be late if I had to hobble the last few blocks. But then I realized I had a choice to make. I could either buy into the idea that I was injured and in pain, or acknowledge what I'd proved many times before in my life through my practice of Christian Science: that my substance was spiritual and that God would never leave me out of His total care.

I began to pray along these lines: "My divine Parent, God, is good. He would never create a situation or circumstance that could harm me. Since it's against divine Love's nature to create something like an accident, Love would never have knowledge of such a thing happening or ever having happened—so I, too, can refuse to believe in it."

I knew that even if I appeared to be struggling with injury, I could trust right then and there that I was being guided by God's unerring direction and kept safe. I also remembered lines from a hymn in the Christian Science Hymnal:

I saw more clearly that one form of evil is to believe in a cause other than good, such as an accident. But I knew I could be responsive only to God's law of uninterruptible harmony.

At this point, I was still concerned I might be late picking up my son. I was tempted to think it might not be wise to run, since this could lead to further injury, but my prayers gave me the confidence to begin jogging again. Although there was some discomfort, I knew there could be no penalty for trusting in prayer, so I continued to affirm what I knew to be spiritually true—that I was perfect and whole right then, as God had made me.

Praying on the run, I was able to pick up my son on time and walk back home with him. In a short time, all vestiges of pain and swelling had disappeared, and that night I slept peacefully with no aftereffects.

A week later, however, the day after I'd recounted this experience to an acquaintance, my foot again became swollen and uncomfortable. It occurred to me that I must be vigilant in not accepting that I'd ever been outside of God's care—and that the healing was complete. After more persistent prayer along these lines, the symptoms vanished permanently.

This experience was a lovely illustration for me of how staying focused on the divine facts brings healing. Science and Health sums it up this way: "Maintain the facts of Christian Science,—that Spirit is God, and therefore cannot be sick; that what is termed matter cannot be sick; that all causation is Mind, acting through spiritual law. Then hold your ground with the unshaken understanding of Truth and Love, and you will win" (p. 417).

VALERIE MINARD
COLLINGSWOOD, NEW JERSEY, US