Musings

Root canal, pain and lessons on relationship with God and others

It’s amazing how a little tooth can cause so much pain.

For three days this week I was dealing with a toothache or rather a throbbing-wake me up in the middle of the night-can’t eat or drink-tooth pain.

Thankfully, I have a wonderful dentist who was able to squeeze me in and quickly diagnosed that I needed a root canal in a molar. And thankfully I was able a couple hours later to see an endodontist who performed the root canal.

After getting the anesthetic the pain was gone. I wondered if I really needed the root canal. How quickly the memory of the pain was gone. Today, other than some residual discomfort, the pain is gone.

As I reflect, having had a number of contraptions in my mouth (even smoke coming out a couple times)–I wonder about how quickly the memory of the pain goes away.

Some painful events truly make us who we are. God grows us through those deep waters and transforms us more into the image of His Son–humble, surrendered, committed, and grace-filled.

But other painful events don’t seem to say around long enough. And I wonder if that is why when I sin, repent–think I have felt the sorrow of what that sin has done to my relationships with God–why I so quickly forget my promise to “not to it again.”

For those painful events which God uses to transform us, Paul instructs us that we are comforted so that (purpose) we can comfort others who suffer.

2 Corinthians 1:3-7 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.

Should it be any different with sin?

Should we not share the lessons learned from sin, repentance and restoration?

Psalm 32:1-2 Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

Psalm 32:8-11

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
9 Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
which must be curbed with bit and bridle,
or it will not stay near you.

10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.
11 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous,
and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

Having confessed and received forgiveness, David teaches others.

Isn’t the authentic life more powerful than the perfect life?

Author: Steve

I love to study the Bible and I love to engage with others in learning. I had been privileged to do this on a regular basis through church ministry and through part-time teaching at a local Bible colleges. Helping individuals learn to feed themselves through their own study of God’s Word is joy-giving to me. Influencing groups to do life and church from a biblically grounded, theologically faithful perspective is my passion.

1 Comment

  1. I really appreciate this, Steve. Far too often do we NOT learn from the things of life. Thanks for your faithfulness.

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