Submitting to Unpleasant Cures

A few weeks ago I had an ulcer sore in my mouth. It hurt to talk and the lymph nodes on my neck throbbed. I couldn't believe how such a little pain could affect just about everything. Jeff asked me what I did to try to heal it. Did I gargle with salt water? My approach to these things has always been to just let them run their course. Eventually they go away. Well this time, the little thing wasn't budging! So finally, I started the salt water treatment (I hate salt water). And lo and behold, by the end of the day I began to feel relief. Why did it take me so long to do something to address the problem? I used Ibuprofen to numb the pain, but when it came to doing something unpleasant, but actually productive, I couldn't do it.

I learned a spiritual lesson with this experience. At times I can find myself feeling rather dull. And as much as I hate to admit it, my spiritual dullness affects just about everything I do. When I'm dull, I don't have words of encouragement for my children, outbursts of sin more regularly happen, and people don't get lifted up in prayer. My approach can be, just keep keepin' on; it'll eventually go away - no need to do anything unpleasant. Yet, I'm reminded that I can't just hope to float into revival. My spiritual life is a battle, and battling is usually unpleasant – even if victory is assured. If I want to get out of my slump, I need to fight.

By the grace of God my dullness was revealed to me, and God in His mercy rescued me once again. I cried out to Him for help. Then, I made up my mind to do the unpleasant. For me it was to get up earlier the next day so that could have an extended time with the One who gives life. Obviously time with the Lord wasn’t unpleasant, but rousing myself from a warm sleep certainly was. (See chapter 2 of the Girl Talkers’ – Shopping for Time to get vision for this) Taking that first cold step of faith was what God used to breathe fresh life into my soul.

God promised the Israelites that they would win the battles that He called them to - but they still needed to fight. What’s your battle – dullness? An unreconciled relationship? An unconfessed pattern of sin? Let's not just hope that God will revive us. Let's embrace the unpleasantness that brings victory.

For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory. Deuteronomy 20:4