Breaking the cycle of contagion

A Christian Science perspective on daily life

Days passed into weeks, and I still wasn't feeling like myself. This had gone on for way too long in my book. It wasn't a long protracted illness, just one right after another.

Every seasonal malady seemed to find its way to my door that year. While I was able to continue on my job, I certainly wasn't at my peak, and I was just plain tired of not feeling well.

It was easy to blame myself or others. I knew the litany of accusations would accomplish nothing, just further entrench me in self-pity.

While I prayed half-heartedly about it, I mostly figured I would ride it out - until it reached the point of being ridiculous. Something had to break this persistent cycle, so I turned with renewed resolve to what has seen me through many challenges - "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy.

I opened to this arresting statement on page 412: "The power of Christian Science and divine Love is omnipotent. It is indeed adequate to unclasp the hold and to destroy disease, sin, and death."

Several thoughts came to mind that set me on a different course. The power behind Christian Science is the unbreakable law of good in operation, right here and now, regardless of what the material senses report. Divine Love, a name for God, is the source of all power, leaving no room for a residual evil influence in the form of a virus that can keep one in its grip.

This power is adequate to unclasp the hold that a cycle of contagion seems to have. Recognizing this assured me that no one is to blame for an illness or responsible for getting rid of it, but that it's essential to yield to Love's omnipotence. And frankly, there was nothing to prevent me from doing that.

If power resides with divine Love, all anyone needs to do is to recognize the adequacy of that power and to stop giving power to various infectious diseases.

How often do we see a commercial on television for a particular drug and hope we don't catch what it is supposed to alleviate? Or think, "I don't want to get too close to that person with a cold"? Or observe, "This flu should be over in three days, since that's how long my friend had it"? Or analyze where it is in its progression?

I found that my time and thought could be put to better use by considering what it means for the power of divine Love to be omnipotent.

Thinking from this standpoint redefined contagion on the basis of the eternal law of good, instead of a season of evil. Rather than fearing cycles of contagious diseases, I could anticipate the pleasure of an infectious smile or a communicable peace or transmittable happiness.

Plus, recognizing the power of Love dispels the dread of contractive diseases and leaves one's relationships free of fear.

Each of us as an idea of God is governed by His law of good. A definition of our identity as the "perpetual idea of inexhaustible good" illustrates that we, as God's creation, can neither be separated nor contaminated ("Miscellaneous Writings 1883-1896," page 83). What's more, because the law of God governs universally, I can trust that my God-given harmony can't be invaded.

Not surprisingly, healing of the malady came quickly, and the cycle of contagion was broken. More important, I gained a confidence that whatever challenge I face, the power of divine Love is adequate to meet it. To this day, I take perpetual refuge in that conviction.

O Lord my God,
I cried unto thee,
and thou hast healed me.

Psalms 30:2

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