Hidden Problems

I wasn’t expecting it! There was no visual sign that it was necessary. I was feeling no discomfort from it. So I was surprised when the dentist said that treatment to one of my teeth was necessary to prevent the decay, that he could see, from developing and causing trouble in the future.

So a few days later I was back in the dentist’s chair allowing him to inject, drill, prod and poke, fill, smooth and polish the tooth which, had it been left unattended would have caused future pain, discomfort, and no doubt affected my life in so many ways, as severe pain can. Pain can affect our lifestyle, our relationships, our work, our ability to think properly, and really make us feel out of sorts. Therefore I was prepared to experience the relatively short period of discomfort in the dentist’s chair for the longer term benefits.
The dentist with his skill, understanding and experience was able to detect that all was not right with my tooth. He also knew what treatment was needed and had the skill, the ability and the equipment to carry out that treatment.

There can be things in our spiritual lives we have no idea of, which, if not attended to, could later cause great pain, discomfort and disruption to our lifestyle, our family, and our ability to function properly as the person God intended us to be.

Jesus, like a ‘Divine Dentist,’ can see where the trouble lies and He knows what pain it could cause later on if it is not dealt with now. He also knows how best to treat it, if only we submit to Him and His ways.

The treatment may be painful in itself (like having a tooth filled), as we allow Jesus to reveal the root of the problem and show us how to deal with it, but the long term benefits will be well worth it.

Prayer: Dear Lord, Help me to allow You to reveal those hidden places in my life which are not as they should be - those areas which if not dealt with could cause problems in the future. Give me the courage to let You deal with them so I may become the sort of person You want me to be. Amen.