While on an eight-mile run, I was thinking about a passage in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. She writes: “The human mind, imbued with this spiritual understanding, becomes more elastic, is capable of greater endurance, escapes somewhat from itself, and requires less repose. A knowledge of the Science of being develops the latent abilities and possibilities of man” (p. 128). I was at the end of my run when I thought, “Wow, that is so incredible and uplifting!” The idea was so liberating and freeing that it put an extra spring in my step.
When I run, I find it very important first to acknowledge the source of my activity. Of course it’s God, because the qualities I’m expressing while running come from Him: strength, flexibility, inspiration, freedom, harmony. Knowing that I’m connecting with specific divine qualities through this lovely and graceful activity leaves no room for human will, which could get in the way of my experiencing every joy-filled step. For instance, I’m not the source of my own physical strength, speed, or energy. If I consider my physical body to be the source of my running ability, then I’m basing all my hope of success upon limited, personal skill. Every step I take would be subject to material circumstances, which are often unreliable and unpredictable.
Instead, keeping my thought open to God to lead the way, I have a desire to truly express dominion and joy. For example, I’ve sometimes found that I want to run 12 miles on a given day because I’m feeling inspired, not just because it’s in keeping with my training schedule. As an athlete, I’ve seen physical challenges quickly resolved through prayer—challenges which many runners consider unavoidable, including physical strain. When dealing with hardship—both as a runner and in my personal life—I’ve prayed to know that the only demand upon me is from God, and that is to realize that I express Life, Truth, and Love. It has been helpful to consider the following quote in Science and Health: “Truth, Life, and Love are the only legitimate and eternal demands on man, and they are spiritual lawgivers, enforcing obedience through divine statutes” (p. 184).
