The Healing Power of the First Commandment

Do you accept situations at face value? Do you allow human perception or opinion to dictate your experience? Do you give-in to discouragement or fear or allow yourself to wallow endlessly in self-pity? Does your life seem to be at the mercy of mindless, random forces?

I have found that it is important to examine situations that arise throughout my day and the thoughts that come to me about those situations. I challenge the validity of thoughts and situations that do not originate from God. My basis for doing this is the first Commandment: “You shall have no other gods before Me”. This commandment assures me that God is the only power and influence over my life. I also know that God causes only good in my experience. Speaking God’s word, the prophet Jeremiah wrote, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29)

Acknowledging only the power and influence of the one God and holding steadfast, heart-felt confidence in God’s goodness brings healing. A recent experience I had illustrates this. I was participating in some outdoor games with a group of boys and young men. We were running barefoot, playing a game that involved sudden stops and quick turns. At one point I slipped on the grass and two of my toes were bent sharply backwards. As a result, my foot was painful to stand on and I could not move the affected toes.

The first thoughts that came to me were that I couldn’t participate in the activities anymore that day and that I might not be able to do the backpacking and ice climbing I had planned to do in just a few weeks. I immediately challenged these negative thoughts and instead asked myself “What does God know about this situation? What is God doing with me now?”

From what I’ve learned of God’s goodness I understood that God does not cause pain and incapacity. Mechanical forces, physiology, and medical belief were not gods that could overrule God's power or influence what God was doing with me. An injured foot was not a product of God’s goodness now or ever. As I contemplated these truths, the pain immediately lessened. Although I still could not move my toes, I confidently rejoined the activities and was able to run freely.

The next morning when I got up, I was again confronted with thoughts of pain, immobility of toes, and a difficulty in walking. I recognized this situation as a temptation to believe in other gods and, again, I challenged these thoughts in light of the Biblical assurance of one good, all-powerful God. I silently and earnestly considered what I knew was true about God and me at that moment. The pain soon diminished and I was able to go about my normal activities.

In her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, a Christian healer, described this healing power experienced when thought is kept faithful to the one God. Using the term “Mind” as a descriptive synonym for God, she wrote, “Accidents are unknown to God, or immortal Mind, and we must leave the mortal basis of belief and unite with the one Mind, in order to change the notion of chance to the proper sense of God’s unerring direction and thus bring out harmony.” Refusing to accept limitation and injury, and focusing on the spiritual truth about God and man as presented by the Bible, were my way of leaving "the mortal basis of belief" and uniting with the one Mind. This action brought out harmony, healing.

A few weeks after this incident, I went backpacking for several days on a glacier. On the last day of this trip, I was ice climbing when I remembered the temptation I’d faced to fear that I would not be able to participate in these sports. I could move my toes freely, hike for miles carrying a heavy pack, and climb without any limitation. I am grateful to know and serve the one all-powerful and always good God!

"The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholds him with His hand." Psalms 37