A guest post written by Robert W. Nafie

Recently, when I was praying about how to address someone’s incorrect statement about Christian Science, I realized that I should meet directly with the person involved. I was concerned though that I wouldn’t have the exact healing thoughts and ideas at hand when I needed them most and prayed specifically for inspiration for several days.

These unexpected feelings of anxiety reminded me of similar feelings many years earlier when I was on my high school track team. My practice performances were continually better than my race-day results. I was faithful in my workouts, but anxiety and doubt would often keep me from performing well once the starter called out, “On your mark, get set, go!”

I was able to prayerfully overcome this anxiety. Instead of being anxious and fearful over these words, I learned to understand just what my “mark” was spiritually and how I could “set” myself metaphysically, regardless of the circumstances. This prayerful preparation eventually enabled me to freely “go” in many ways, including as a runner. As a result, I was able to achieve noteworthy results while racing, and more importantly, to use these ideas in other aspects of life as a Christian Scientist.

Here are the ideas I found helpful in preparing for the meeting:

On Your Mark: As I prayed, the clearer I could see that my “mark” was not just to succeed in a meeting with another individual. My higher mark was to express the true nature of God, opening the door to healing for all. As it says in Philippians, “Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”. This was my mark.

Get Set: I was also able to see that “getting set” was not evidenced by an intractable human position, held by pride and a pre-determined sense of the outcome. It was setting myself firmly in the understanding that God is the only healing and communicating power. He would do the performing, and at the right moment. I held to the idea found in II Chronicles: “…for the battle is not yours, but God’s. Ye shall not need to fight this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you…”

Go: With this preparation and understanding, nothing could cause me to hesitate or falter and I would not be fearful. I could hear God’s voice as clearly as Moses did at the Red Sea when God told him to “…go forward” (Ex 14:15)

The meeting was warm, cordial, and healing for both of us. We freely exchanged ideas, and this meeting was the start to a new friendship, all by first taking my Mark, getting Set, and being willing to Go!