3 Lessons From My Root Canal

James 5:16 (New International Version)

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Let’s face it; the most dreadful, unwanted thing to have done at the dentist office is a root canal.  A about a year ago one of my teeth cracked and soon broke apart.  It started with getting things caught in it all the time, then eventually it started hurting.  I knew in my mind that I would eventually need a root canal.  I knew for certain I really did not want to face that giant. I started taking Advil  and eventually the pain went away.

As time went on I enjoyed a pain free tooth until a few days ago. No matter how much Advil I took the pain would not subside.  After a day of not being able to eat or drink the decision was made to go to the dentist.  It was time to break this cycle of temporary relief that only led to a permanent pain.

Often in life we all go through seasons of painful times that we try to fix ourselves.  Unfortunately our quick fix is only a temporary band-aid that eventually wears off and soon the pain returns.  Below you will find  3 things I learned from my root canal that can help each of us in painful times of our life.

1) Don’t ignore the warnings.

You can’t ignore the pain.  If you do it will only get worse.  Don’t ignore the fact that there is something that is hurting you.  When you acknowledge the pain it empowers you to do something about it.  I could have kept ignoring the pain in my tooth and stayed in denial of the fact that I needed a root canal.

2) Temporary relief is only temporary.

A quick fix is just that; A quick fix.  Did I really want to have to take Advil everyday two and three times a day?  Of course not.  Medicating the pain is comfort for only a little while.  Many people medicate their pain with busyness, relationships, work, alcohol, drugs and other activities that they feel can numb the pain that they are currently experiencing.  The only problem is that it doesn’t last.  Don’t settle for temporary when permanent relief is available.

3) Getting to the root of the problem results in pain free living.

Only after going to the dentist was I able to have the assurance that the pain would no longer be an issue.  Sometimes we just need to open up to someone that can help us get to the root cause of the pain and deal with it once and for all.  Find someone you can trust, a counselor, Pastor, or a close friend.

Dear Lord we pray today that we would stop putting a Band-Aid on our pain and that we would get to the root of the pain. We thank You for always being there. In Jesus' Name, Amen.