I’m Going to Prick You But I Need You To Hang in There With Me

Today I experienced God at the dentist's office. This story began early last week. One of the teeth on the left side of my face began to hurt really bad. I have a high tolerance for pain and I am used to tooth aches because I have had dental problems since I was a kid. But on Wednesday, my tooth began to throb and the pain was unbearable so I made a dentist appointment. But since I was attending the Together 2016 event with my church that weekend in Washington, DC, I pushed the appointment up to Thursday. I went into the dentist only to find out that I would have to be referred to another dentist that specializes in root canals which seemed to be what I needed to take care of the problem. So that appointment was scheduled for today (Monday) and he gave me anti-biotics and I headed to DC. Together 2016 was an amazing event and luckily my tooth ache ceased so  I was able to enjoy my time there. BUT I got home to Cleveland Sunday to realize that I had left my wallet somewhere in DC. I contacted the hotel and they had not found it. I then contacted our bus driver who had not seen my wallet yet but he was going to check the bus the next morning to see if I left it there which I was pretty sure I did. So I waited overnight for an answer. Meanwhile, I was left with none of my personal belongings like my ID, credit cards, social security cards, proof of insurance NOTHING! So because I am going back out of town on Wednesday to the Legacy Disciple Conference in Chicago, I needed to get cash from the bank which you cannot do without a photo ID. So on my list for this morning was to go to my dentist appointment because now the left side of my face was extremely swollen, go to the BMV to get a new ID and then go get cash from the bank and if any one of those tasks did not happen, it would make the week very difficult.

My first task was the dentist's office. When I stepped into the office I could automatically tell it was a different type of office which was good. It was very relaxing. So the doctor came in and looked at my tooth. Because of how bad it was, he came to the conclusion that there was nothing he could do and that it was best that I go back to my original doctor so that he could handle it. But he did want to drain the swelling I was experiencing and he was going to proceed with it. When I first got to the office, there was jazz music playing but once the doctor began prepping to work on me, the music changed from jazz to Christian instrumental which really set the mood for the Holy Spirit and I was totally unaware. 

 Now let's rewind a little. I woke up this morning feeling TERRIBLE! I was in a really bad mood and on top of that my tooth bothered me and all of my important information was in another city. I knew I needed to talk to God. So on the ride to the dentist, I began to vent to God about my attitude, about the violence going on, about my weaknesses, EVERYTHING! I did not want to take my personal negative attitude into the day and into the week so I surrendered it to God. Now fast forward to me sitting in the dentist chair. The doctor began working on me and he warned me that it would be painful but I have a high tolerance for pain so I did not think anything of it. Until it got painful lol The pain was so bad! I never experienced pain like that before. But then I sat back and realized that the Holy Spirit was speaking to me in that moment. He was telling me literally "the pain you're going through will make you better in the end." He meant the pain of the dentist working on my mouth and the different types of pain I've been experiencing since I've been saved. The doctor literally said to me "I'm going to prick you a little bit but just hang in there with me." THATS WHAT THE LORD IS SAYING TO US!

 No one ever promised that once you are saved, you are free from pain, heartache, sorrow, or anything else. The Lord actually told us we would experience pain for His namesake. He said that the Gospel will divide families and friendships For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and a man's enemies will be the members of his household.-Matthew 8:35 so who or what made us think this would be a cakewalk. I believe we forget that so many times and then we get mad at the Lord without thinking things through completely (at least I do). The Lord met me at the dentist office and soothed me. He reminded me that the pain I'm experiencing is for my betterment. It felt weird at the moment and I just started crying. I know the dental assistant was looking at me crazy lol but the tears kept coming!  That was a moment I've never experienced before and that's why I love God so much. He meets us where we are. He never leaves us even in our most raggedy state! He constantly pursues us and waits for us to come back to Him. He constantly reminds us that we are his children, that we are his chosen ones and that He is molding us into something great! It's amazing to be apart of this process but I have to just keep reminding myself that it is a process and that it will continue until the day I die but every heartache, tear, pain and sorrow is worth it.

To anyone experiencing pain right now, know that the Lord is pricking you but He wants you to hang in there with Him because the pain you are feeling right now will make you better in the end....