A few years back I had a tooth filling fall out. It didn’t hurt really—it just popped
out. The exposed tooth was a bit
sensitive, but not too bad. I decided I didn’t have the time to get it fixed
right then. Besides, I dislike going to dentists. I had a negative experience
with a dentist during childhood and they’ve scared me ever since.
Next week, I thought.
I’ll get it taken care of then.
But next week came and went–as did many more. Every few weeks my tooth would become a bit
more sensitive to hot/cold stuff. But I
continued to procrastinate citing a lack of time (plus that nagging fear of
dentists didn’t help).
Eventually, the tooth started hurting more frequently,
though not unbearably. After six months,
I started to get a bit fearful. What if
I had waited too long already? What if I
went to the dentist and he told me the tooth needed a root canal? Ouch!
Maybe the tooth would have to be painfully extracted? Double ouch!
Or what if the dentist scolded me for not coming to him sooner? Guilt trip!
But as much as I feared going, my logical mind told me I had
to do something. So, with a deep sense
of resolve and a firm display of determination, I made the difficult
decision. Ignore logic and wait longer.
Seven months. Eight
months. Nine months
Then it happened. One morning I woke up abruptly with my
tooth aching and head pounding. This was
it. I couldn’t take it anymore. The pain had finally become so severe there
was simply no avoiding it any longer. I called up my dentist for an emergency
appointment.
Dr. Figueroa, a gentle lady and excellent dentist, was
sympathetic. She squeezed me into her
schedule, fixed me up and was even kind enough to skip the guilt trip (she
probably thought I’d suffered enough already).
Yes, the repair was painful. Yes,
it was my fault for delaying. And yes, I
could have saved myself a lot of sore days, uncomfortable nights and needless
worrying if I had only gone to her sooner.
Lesson learned.
Let me ask you, is there any pain in your life you’ve been
avoiding? Perhaps a secret sorrow no one
else knows about? A heartbreaking
situation. An aching
disappointment. A distressing condition.
Why not take it to God? Let Him deal with it.
He’s a pain specialist with vast experience and a gentle touch.
The Psalmist gives a glimpse of God’s heart for suffering
when he says:
“Lord, my God, I cried out to you for help, and you healed
me.” Psalm 30:2 CEB
“God heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.”
Psalm 147:3 CEB
Maybe like me you feel there’s no time in your frenzied
schedule to stop for healing. Or perhaps you’re afraid to let God try. Would
you be open to some advice from this admitted lily liver and seasoned pain
procrastinator? Don’t wait until the pain becomes unbearable. Take your troubles to the Great Healer. Let his skillful hands do the delicate
treatment. You’ll feel so much better
afterwards.
“God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to
him.” 1 Peter 5:7 CEV
Question: When it
comes to pain, do you ever find yourself (or someone you love) putting it off
to deal with at a later time? Why do we do that? (Share your thoughts in the comments)
Guest Blogger and Member of FHC, Todd Chobotar
BLOG | http://www.ToddChobotar.com
TWITTER | http://www.twitter.com/ToddChobotar
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