Few like to face problems if they don’t have to, but troubles happen and they have to be dealt with.
One rule that helps me deal with challenges is understanding that every problem we face is an opportunity to learn something new and more expansive about God. As we learn the lesson and apply it, the difficulty is resolved and we advance stronger and healthier than before.
Two years ago, I started experiencing extreme pain in my right shoulder from serving in my tennis game. I probed obvious questions like, “What was I doing wrong?” I quizzed my coach. I held back and resorted to less demanding serves, but the problem grew worse.
One day, my coach instructed I take pain-killing drugs. “That’s what everyone does,” he commented. I told him point blank I would never take drugs because the problem was not physical. “The problem was something in my attitude or outlook on tennis,” I told him. He didn’t agree, but he did respect my position.
The pain felt very real, but I knew with absolute certainty, the root of the pain was not physical. It was some type of fear in consciousness I was harboring that needed to be rooted out and healed.
Drugs would only mask the real problem and not bring genuine healing, I felt. And likely, drugs would allow the problem to grow worse over time.
I asked God, “What am I supposed to learn from this?”
The answer eventually came, “To have more confidence in your playing ability.”
For background, it will be helpful for you to understand that it’s been a long trek upward for me in accepting that I can be athletic. From a young age, I had many experiences that built and reinforced a belief that I was in no way athletic. I was very competent in the classroom, but not in the gym.
I also realized that a few months previous, my coach was pushing me into more advanced serving techniques that I was finding hard to master. As I honestly examined my thought, I realized that I had been resisting where he wanted me to go. I was saying
verbally, “I can do this.” But I was thinking, “No I can’t.” This resistance was the pain. I became sure of it.
The conflict I was feeling was like a war in my thinking, and lack of faith in becoming a better player was winning the battle.
Here was the spiritual lesson God was teaching me, I became confident. That with His help, I could become a better player.
I needed to understand that God gave me all the skills I needed to master these new serving techniques, and not doubt my ability to reflect what God was giving me.
As my faith in God’s help grew, I gained renewed conviction that I could go where my coach wanted me to go. And I did. The shoulder healed. I don’t know when, but the pain vanished, and I went on to master that serve. And I’ve had no pain for over a year since. None. And I can serve as hard as I want.
Every trial you face is teaching you something more about your relationship to God.
God is good. You are good. God loves you and loves you and loves you, and ensures that you have everything you need to prosper and advance in ways that best promote your progress.
When a trouble hits, don’t be deceived by despair and discouragement. This only allows the trouble to seem more real and true. It is not. It is a lie. It is a pretend denial of God’s omnipresent care and love.
Find the love. Find the care. The lesson will be learned and the trial will resolve.
Mary Baker Eddy wrote, “Trials are proofs of God’s care” (Science and Health, p. 66), which, spiritually translated, means to me, trials are proof of God’s care because when seen as opportunities to grow, they send us to God, and there we find His care.
What spiritual lesson is God teaching you today?
Evan I am so encouraged by your post today and I am sure we all regular readers of your blog, feel the same. I appreciate your patience and endeavor to search for the right answers and go to the root of the pain, which was bothering you.
Yes God gives us all the skills that we need to master any seemingly difficult technique, a new venture or a difficult task. We should not doubt our ability to reflect and express our God bestowed gifts of skill and expertise. This is a great lesson for me too, since I too was a bit apprehensive about my driving skills. You have enlightened me and now I am confident to go ahead, putting all my trust in my God given ability to master any new or seemingly difficult skill.
So grateful to you.
Another important lesson for us is to understand that God loves us so much and He surely ensures that we have everything that we need to promote our progress. So we should never be discouraged when faced with challenges, but overcome them by trusting in Gods omnipresent and all powerful care and love.
Congrats Evan for braving all the challenges and going ahead to become an expert in the sport of Tennis.
Thank you Evan, and Nergish with clear evidence of God’s tender merciful care of us all.
I do cherish how you, Evan, give Christian Science in a practical way. Here is my answer as introduction to the healing testimony of a stranger asking for help over his despondency I tendered Wednesday night, this week: A perfect Scientific equation.
| John 4:16 God (to 😉
^
John 10:10 I (to .) = S & H 494:10-11
Inscriptions on the church’s platform wall.
Very gratefully, Sunshine
The above did not print as it was set up. First John 4:16 God (to 😉
(To semicolon)
Yes, Evan thank you so much for your todays very uplifting SV, and I indeed feel the same as Nergish states. I also used to play Tennis for about 5 years, but then I moved away from my tennisclub. It is a jolly good and interesting Sport. Oh, God is teaching me several lessons each day. I hold fast to the Truth that God is leading me in every movement and instance!
Another one that “hit the nail on the head” for me today Evan. I am printing as I write. This gives me renewed inspiration to move forward, thanks soooo much!
Thank you for sharing how this healing came about. I’ve had a situation for months now with my hip, making walking, or even rolling over in bed a challenge. That, plus other health issues have driven me to despair. You’ve inspired me not to give up and accept this as inevitable. I like how you say “It is a pretend denial of God’s omnipresent care and love.”
Thank you Evan. Just what I needed to hear today. Blessings to all as we find the care and love and learn our lessons and our burdens are lifted.
Evan– I can identify the “war in my thinking”, which your words describe perfectly, but I can’t seem to understand my way out of it. I know what thoughts are blocking my healing but it seems I can’t move past them and it’s been years. Do you have any suggestions?
Challenge your faith in evil and suffering. We often stay stuck because we have more faith in our problem than we do in God–more faith in evil than in good.
Pray for the United States of America Today. See this as an Opportunity to Hatch more Good and Freedom and Human Rights for ALL! An Opportunity for Error to be Uncovered and Seen so it can be Healed with Truth and Love! All Error wants is to be left Alone……well, no more….it is being Revealed so it can be Healed. All will Come Right! Thanks to All and Much Love!
Thank you Bevi for your inspired thoughts this morning.
Yes! Thank you, Bevi, and Evan, too.
“Those that come to us in need…
are of Gods greatest gifts…”
MLD
Thank you Evan! I love topics like the one today that help explain “how” to practice Christian Science. So many people think Christian Scientists just ignore problems and “hope they go away” because people can’t “see” physically the prayer process a Christian Scientist uses to resolve issues like the one you have described today. I wonder if perhaps your coach thought you were just ignoring the problem while you were praying to realize your healing? Hmmm…Maybe I can invent a device that detects Christian Science prayer and put a light on that device that flashes to show when prayer is occurring. Then Christian Scientists could wear the device and point to the flashing light to prove to other people they aren’t just “ignoring” problems. 🙂
Cristian Science bio feedback…..
Good idea…
Kinda like a…
Seeing eye dog for the
conceptually blind….
seeing art dog… that is…. seeing eye service animals are something i have great respect and admiration for
Thanks to Bevi. Today I listened to God’s Law of Adjustment on my way to work. This lecture was one of the first I read when I was introduced to Science and I have grown in understanding over the years as to its message. I have sworn off the news today. I do think that we have as a nation the ability to point the way to freedom for all. For so long it has been one party trying to obstruct the other and put them out of office instead of holding the ruling party accountable and curbing corruption and doing what is right and needed for the people they represent. this is being brought forward and all the other things unlike God to be destroyed.
As we bring Truth into our thoughts
I’ve noticed all untruth is ” Nothingized ”
May feel uncomfortable especially if the untruth is something we know for certain
Evan, thanks so much. A big help in many ways today.
Lol, Brian!! The light IS already there in the eyes of the one praying- it just needs to be seen and acknowledged!!
Dear Evan- thank you for today’s post. It so clearly explained a healing I’ve just acknowledged and have worked to reach! I’m so grateful – literally to tears- in the proof we have, right here and now, of God’s tender presence, love, and guidance. ❤️
Looks like you served an “ace” today Evan…
Thank you
Lessons like today are really helpful. I still find I have a problem getting started. I shall study your healing and try to get it right. Thank you.
Thank you Evan for the helpful, healing thoughts and sharing the way you prayed. I’ve recently understood better my inseparability from God. It has given me the calm and courage to persevere. I have no fear, so I know healing is inevitable.
T-H-A-N-K Y-O-U, Evan!!!
Evan thank you so much for this message showing how you prayed about the situation. I so needed that today You are so appreciated. Brian, loved your “flashlight: idea!!