I'm In Good Hands

Last week I told you of a possible root canal.  It included my graphic exaggeration of what I expected that surgery to include.

It turns out my doctor (who said I might have shingles) and my dentist (who said I might need a root canal) were both wrong.

I called my neurologist and talked with him a few minutes and he said, "I know exactly what's going on.  You have trigeminal neuralgia."

I said, "a what?"

One of the cranial nerves has lesions on it that cause a "very interesting" pain in my cheek.  I am now on the right direction for treatment and am doing fine.

But, here's the sermonic application - I wonder how many times I misdiagnose stuff that's going on in my spirit.  I almost took steroids that wouldn't help or had a root canal that I didn't need.  How many times do I take steps to ease a pain in my soul and I'm not treating the real cause of the problem?

Avoiding people, but not dealing with anger.

Changing my environment, but not dealing with my own sin.

Blaming others for crippling fear.

Puffing myself up to hide what's not really hidden.

Jeremiah recorded these words, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.  Who can understand it (17.9)?"

The next verse answers the question, God.

I misdiagnose me all the time.  Then I find my way to God who reminds me, "I know exactly what's going on.  That's not what you need, this is what will ease the pain."

You would think that with the amount of time that I spend with my soul that I would be the most qualified to diagnose problems.  It turns out that I am the least qualified.  The Creator of my soul is much more knowledgeable on soul health than I am.

He knows that someone else can't see the real problem, and I can't be honest enough to get to the issues.  The Great Physician knows what's wrong and knows how to fix it.

I trust my neurologist to help me with M.S. symptoms.

I trust my Lord God to help me with what lasts forever.

I'm In Good Hands,

Pastor Dave