No Pain, no Gain !

When’s the last time you had a cavity filled by a dentist? You know the drill (pardon the pun) if you have. Before you get the drill you get the needle. After that shot of novacaine is when I know I can finally relax as then I only feel the dentist’s drill without the pain I’d otherwise have should there be no numbing drug.   Well now, scientists are working on even more comforting advances, they have developed a means by which we won’t even need to undergo the needle !  They are using light at varying wavelengths to block the channels responsible for pain in the area where drilling needs to occur, another type of light later would restore that pain sensing activity so once again you feel as normal. Make sense? I know, another pun, painful as it is !

At any rate, next time I need a cavity filled, you can sign me up for the light deal. Who needs a needle when you can forgo it, right? But what will they do with the adage “no pain, no gain” then?  All kidding aside, pain can be a good thing when you think about it. It signals when there is a problem and keeps us from great harm like if we get to close to a fire, for example. It tells us also of our Father’s love for us when we are erring and need to come back to Him as the writer of Hebrews describes, “. . .My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, not faint when thou art rebuked of Him: for whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.” (Heb.12:5-6). Such pain is an indication of two facts: though saved we still can sin and God loves us enough to discipline us !

How easily we can choose sin over Him, even as His beloved child. And when we do and persist on a path without Him, He knows what pain is needed to avoid greater pain for us.  The Bible also says when we sin we cause Him pain, we grieve His heart (Eph.4:30). That context has much to say about the sin of the mouth: lying, trash talking, bitter and hateful speech, angry words, etc.   When we often think such words are no biggie, they cause Him pain when He hears one of His very own children speaking so and likely they cause pain to others around you so that you violate the entire essence of God’s Word [you aren’t loving God or your neighbor].    And if not dealt with by our confession He disciplines but not to get back but so you get better: “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” (Heb.12:11).   In this case, some pain well applied by God brings great gain !  Its  better we put forth the effort of reading the Word, confessing our sins, obeying even if unpopular or intially more difficult and let God mold us through these spiritual disciplines than to have to cause Him pain and then incur some ourselves we wouldn’t have to otherwise. Let the painless light of walking with God according to His Word bring the gain !!