God and the Dentist

Does anyone really like to go to the dentist? I don’t. Sadly I’ve had a lot of dental work done in my life and the experiences have not always been pleasant.

Well, last week there I was in the chair.  I was a little tense and so I asked for the gas. Got the gas, got the shots and the procedure started. As the dentist worked, I was reminded that I was at his mercy. I knew I needed to trust him. Maybe it was the gas, maybe it was God, but I relaxed.

Then I heard the dentist say, “Turn toward me” and I did. Then he said, “Breathe” and I did. Then he said “turn away” and I did.  Again, “turn toward me.” And on it went: “you’re doing fine”, “relax.”  It was all I could do not to cry… I was not in pain. I was grateful.

All the other noises seemed to diminish and all I could hear was the voice of my dentist guiding me through the procedure - gentle, calm instructions. I could tell he was removing my tooth one piece at a time. Then I could tell when he removed the final chunk and it was finished. Jokingly he then said, “now you are cooperating!”

I just kept thinking that this is exactly what God does. He gives us the Holy Spirit to calm us and be our comforter. Then He goes to work on us and gives us instructions so that we can cooperate with Him. He guides us through the pain and the fix; and Jesus is right there with us, holding our hand.

I felt so cared for! It was amazing!

There are often things in us that God wants to remove. In my dental experience I had a tooth that was causing problems and it needed to go. I didn’t want to lose the tooth, but it was necessary so that I could get the healing necessary, and receive a new tooth.

God wants to remove some of our attitudes and behaviors because He wants us to live a healthy peaceful, joyful life. God allows situations and conflict in our lives so that our hurts can surface to the top and He can remove them.  God does the work and He instructs us on how to cooperate with Him. We have the comforter in us to keep us calm and focused on Him. God is trustworthy and knows what He is doing. And He will guide us through the process….one step at a time.

For years I struggled with feelings of inadequacy (something is wrong with me) and I tried to overcome that by working hard and trying to achieve things that might make me feel smart and better about myself. Then one day, I believed that God wanted to extract the lie of “not good enough” and replace it with the truth of who I truly am because of the cross. I was already everything He created me to be and I am “very good.”  He was the source of my adequacy and my intelligence, skills, talents, etc. It wasn’t something to achieve, but Someone to receive as He guided me in life.

Sitting in God’s “dental chair” is not really so painful because we have the Holy Spirit as our Comforter and Jesus holding our hand while God gently guides us through the process of extracting the bad and healing the wound. Also, I hear that my new implant will be better than my old tooth. That’s some good news!
I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will advise you with My eye upon you. Psalm 32:8

I am making all things new… Revelation 21:5

the Lord your God will tell us the way in which we should walk, and the thing that we should do. Jeremiah 42:3

Make me know Your ways, Lord; each me Your paths. Psalm 25:4 (the whole chapter is great)