May 8, 2024
Fear is a Goliath we all face on a daily basis.
Life is full of hard things. Just today, you will face uncertain, unknown situations. You have the choice of trusting God in scary circumstances.
Being afraid is ok. A while back, I heard when you are scared and your heart is racing, that means you are getting ready to do something very brave. I like that. Plus, it’s true.
I work for a pediatric dentist. Every evening, when I head home after work, I evaluate the day. I review the patients and procedures in my head and thank the Lord for what He helped us do.
Today, as usual, I went down the list in my head remembering the girls, boys, fillings, and teeth that were wiggled out. And as usual, I thanked the Lord. He’d worked overtime. We got good stuff done, but my heart was heavy.
Most everyone is scared or even terrified of having to have their teeth worked on. That was especially true this day. It took extra time to say calming, encouraging, and persuasive words to get going and get through.
My heart was heavy because I wish I could take the fear away. For one girl, a boy in her class had told terrible stories about what we would do. A fourth grader who has never been to dental school doesn’t really know the full process, so he was just trying to scare her. And he did. So many words, and prayers-silent and spoken-finally persuaded her to give the laughing gas a try. Shew and praise the Lord! As worried as she had been, she was able to power through it all and get the work done. Afterward, she agreed that her classmate hadn’t known what he was talking about, and it wasn’t that bad. (I told her I just might swing by her school to see that feller. Wouldn’t he be surprised!) Ultimately, she faced her fear and came out victorious on the other side.
We all have a Kryptonite. Going to the dentist ranks pretty high. You know how it is with dental work. We focus on the discomfort, the pain – even if it is slight – and it makes us sick with worry. The fear grows in our heads until it spreads to our bellies. We are great at making mountains out of molehills in our minds. Parents and grandparents are often quick to say: “I hate the dentist.” They don’t really. The dentist is a community helper. He doesn’t CAUSE cavities, he FIXES them.
I found myself on the drive home wishing people were as afraid of going to hell as they are of going to the dentist. Hell will be many terrible things, but especially separation from God. Men and women of all ages talk openly that they live in fear of having work done on their teeth. But are they even a little fearful of spending eternity in a horrifying place?
There are things we can do to keep from having dental problems: brushing two times a day, flossing, not eating too much sugary foods or drinking too many sugary drinks.
There is only one thing to avoid going to hell: accepting the gift of God’s One and Only Son (John 3:16).
Dentist. Go there when needed.
Hell. Don’t EVER, EVER go there.
