Scripture: If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. Matthew 18:8
Have you ever had splinter and needed help getting it out? I always have to turn my head because if I don’t, I will flinch when I anticipate the needle stick. Some people are so bad that they will pass out just at the thought of a needle stick. When I give blood I have to turn my head, if I don’t I will retreat out of fear of the stick.
Spiritual sticks are no different. God in his mercy treats us much like a careful physician. He examines the thorn we have in our flesh very carefully. He will shine the light of his Word and Son to help illuminate the area. He will pinch it up between his fingers and really expose the thorn well. But then just when he sticks the needle up to dig that thing out, we flinch and retreat! We know that once it is gone it will feel so much better, but we know that the process of giving over to the great physician will probably induce some pain.
Have you ever had something in your finger that you can’t even hardly see and it will fester and get sore? You know something is there but it takes a few days for you to confirm that yes there is indeed a little thorn in there. When you get it removed it may be smaller than the head of a pencil and I have wondered how in the world something so small can cause so much irritation.
O, I am thankful that God will make us uncomfortable in our sin. The Holy Spirit will bring conviction to us. It may only be a little tinge of pain, but you know it. That familiar feeling of, I have something wrong. At first it may not seem big enough to dig out, but after ad few days of that thing in there, you know it. Yes, I must let Him dig it out! Do not give in to your urge to retreat this week. Stick that flesh out there and ask Him to dig that splinter out!
Leslie Stephens
Winchester, TN
Prayer: Great Physician, do a work on my flesh. Expose the splinter of sin that I may not even be able to see yet and dig it out! Amen!
Prayer Tip: if something makes your spirit squirm, best ask God to show you why.
