One morning as I was working on my job, I felt a sudden and increasing stiffness developing in one of my arms. Soon I could not move it without considerable pain. I remembered a helpful point shared with me by a Christian Scientist at one time. This person said that attempting to find a material cause for pain can be like trying to build a foundation under a lie. I saw I needed to recognize that pain is an impersonal lie about the nature of God and the nature of man as God's spiritual offspring.
For the balance of the day, I continued with my normal work responsibilities, taking time to pray and know that every action of my real selfhood as God's image and likeness could only be in full accord with God's harmonious action. I also spent time in prayer that evening. Working with passages from the Bible and Mrs. Eddy's writings provided a deeper understanding of the fact that in truth all action, movement, cause, and effect belong to God, and therefore every expression of these must reflect His perfect nature. Many new insights came to light, and I felt my thought being stirred and purified.
I found myself addressing the notion of random harm, of something unexpectedly going haywire, of being subject to vague, arbitrary setbacks or fluctuations. These seem to haunt human existence. But I found that I could replace that entire notion (presenting itself to me personally at that moment in the form of a suddenly nonfunctioning arm) with a steadfast, thankful recognition of God's complete goodness, of His ever-presence, and of man's identity as the pure, spiritual outcome of God.
