Okay. If you’ve been with me long enough, you know I have a tendency to take everyday life instances and have a way of seeing a “God Lesson” through it. Well, today’s writing is definitely no different.
Since I’ve had my Invisalign (like braces), I’ve learned a few lessons from them. I’ve learned about guarding your heart and mind, discipline, and there will be glory in the end.
I’ve had a couple of people ask if the dentist is also whitening my teeth. You see, I’m a southern girl who loves her sweet tea and snacks on chocolate. While wearing Invisalign you can only drink water while wearing them. If you want to eat or drink anything different, you must remove the apparatus before partaking in anything other than H2O. The more you wear the Invisalign, the better it will work for you and your teeth will straighten. So, my days of snacking on chocolate and sippin’ sweet tea have ceased.
Lesson #1: Let’s pretend that anything other than water is sin. When I guard my teeth (heart and mind), the purer they (I) become. In Proverbs 4:23 we read, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
No, the dentist isn’t whitening my teeth. The mouth piece is protecting them from everything not pure enough for them. Sin has a way of tainting you. But there’s a way out…God will protect you. Ephesians 5:25-27 says, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her26 to make her holy, cleansingher by the washing with water through the word,27 and to present her to Himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” How can we stay stain-free? Do so by devoting time to God through His word. Read it, pray it, live it!
If I were to leave my teeth “unprotected” they will get stained because I will drink my sweet tea and snack on chocolate. When we move away from God, we are more tempted to delve into sinful situations. Let’s not live apart from God. But when my teeth are protected, they become whiter and whiter as time passes. That’s how God would like us to live our lives; by living in His protection, allowing The Living Water wash over us, and becoming more like Him each day.
Lesson #2: As I mentioned before, “The more you wear the Invisalign, the better it will work for you and your teeth will straighten.” It takes discipline to wear these. Leaving them out when my mouth is sore, or after I eat a meal can become an easy habit to form. But when the Invisalign isn’t on my teeth, it’s not able to perform it duty.
Backsliding from church or not spending time with God can become an easy habit. It takes dedication to stay committed to The Creator. We read in Colossians 3:15-17, “Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.” May these verses encourage you to be dedicated to God through the way you live your life.
Lesson #3: I’m what they call “the pampered patient” at the dentist office. I’ve heard them tell me that out of all of their Invisalign patients, I’m the only one who has trouble with getting mouth sores like I do. (Boy, does that make me feel like a pathetic patient.) They thought I may be allergic to them, but that wasn’t the case. The routine was consistent: Every three weeks I would put my new Invisalign in. Because I’m a teacher, I talk a lot. So, I would then get sores on my gums and under my tongue. Those sores, after about three days, would then be the start of sinus issues. I would have a sore throat, an earache, a headache, and sinus pressure all around! Those symptoms would last for about ten days. I may feel fine for less than a week, and the whole process would start all over again. After three months of this and going back and forth to the dentist, he finally listened to me regarding how the plastic material was too sharp, and gave me medication and then I became the “pampered patient”. Now the dental assistance file my new apparatus’ down before they give them to me.
There were times when I wanted to “throw in the towel”. I’d say, “I’m 45 years old. My teeth have been crooked all this time, so why not leave them the way they are. It hurts too much.” But, nope…I’m not quitting! No pain, no gain.
That’s often how one’s walk is as a Christian. God never said that we were going to have an easy life once we became a Christ follower. John 16:33 says, “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” Yes, we will have heartache, pain, and sorrow. But stick with Him. God will see us through all the pain, and there will be glory in the end.
Now, the pain comes from the movement of the teeth. I love to feel that pain because it confirms that this whole process is working. I will have “glorious” teeth in the end.
I hope you will discover “God Lessons” in everyday situations in your life.
I pray God’s abundant love and blessing for y’all.
