Throughout her writings, Mary Baker Eddy advises us not to look to the human body for either positive or negative signs of health, but to know that we live in Spirit, not matter. Even though I grew up a Christian Scientist and had many wonderful healings, I always had a habit of praying about a condition and then checking the body for improvement. In the past few years, two experiences have helped me understand that "checking the body" for healing is no part of prayer.
A few years ago, our backyard was crisscrossed by several small ditches as part of a landscaping project. One evening I inadvertently stepped into one ditch, severely bending back one of my toes. I immediately declared that my real identity was spiritual and I was the reflection of God. However, the next morning I was barely able to walk, and there was pain with nearly every step. As my job entailed a considerable amount of walking, this presented quite a challenge. But having seen the power of God many times before in my life, I was confident that healing would take place.
I silently rejoiced, with every step I took, that the appearance of an injured toe had nothing to do with the spiritual fact that I "live, and move, and have [my] being" in God (Acts).
