The blessing isn’t in getting the prescription, but in
taking the prescription. How much good would a doctor’s appointment do me if I
refused to take the treatment he offered?
Confession: I am a stubborn patient. I naturally fight any prognosis with my own master Web-MD skills and Kelsey-crafted remedies in an attempt to speed up the process. In so doing, I make the problem worse.
I injured my foot in India.
What is the solution? Rest.
What do I do? Push myself.
Why? I don’t want to rest.
I could just leave the lesson here—pat myself on the back and say, Wow, Kelsey, good for you for knowing yourself and how stubborn you are—gold medal in self-awareness and humble admission of your failings… Now go run a 5k.
What a stupid solution. Unfortunately, it’s a solution I often take…
But don’t we all?
Attempting to push through the pain that flares up, ignoring warning signs in order to keep doing what we want to be doing? In the meantime, we may become numb to the pain but the problem persists—even if only ‘under the surface’. Meanwhile, the injury only deepens. By avoiding short-term interruption all we end up with is long-term consequences.
“If you understand these things,” Jesus oh-so-wisely told his own stubbornness-inclined disciples, “Blessed are you if you do them.”
Oh may we not only understand the Lord’s instructions, but do them! I don’t want to shut out the Doctor’s voice any more. I need his help to receive the prescription—pray for your enemies, forgive, give to the one who begs from you, honor one another above yourself, submit to authority, be still and know that I am God... But let’s be real—it’s not just the prescription I need, but also a dose of his Holy Spirit to override my rebellious one so that I’ll actually take it. I’m not naturally submissive to authority—even His, who has what is best for me in mind. But by being my own doctor, all I end up with is a greater problem than the one I started with.
Holy Spirit, convict me. Let’s tackle the deeper issues, and when you give me your remedy—long-term a road as it may be—give me the humility, willingness, and perseverence to take it, with the reward in mind: restoration. Restore me to health, Oh God. Restore me to you.
Confession: I am a stubborn patient. I naturally fight any prognosis with my own master Web-MD skills and Kelsey-crafted remedies in an attempt to speed up the process. In so doing, I make the problem worse.
I injured my foot in India.
What is the solution? Rest.
What do I do? Push myself.
Why? I don’t want to rest.
I could just leave the lesson here—pat myself on the back and say, Wow, Kelsey, good for you for knowing yourself and how stubborn you are—gold medal in self-awareness and humble admission of your failings… Now go run a 5k.
What a stupid solution. Unfortunately, it’s a solution I often take…
But don’t we all?
Attempting to push through the pain that flares up, ignoring warning signs in order to keep doing what we want to be doing? In the meantime, we may become numb to the pain but the problem persists—even if only ‘under the surface’. Meanwhile, the injury only deepens. By avoiding short-term interruption all we end up with is long-term consequences.
“If you understand these things,” Jesus oh-so-wisely told his own stubbornness-inclined disciples, “Blessed are you if you do them.”
Oh may we not only understand the Lord’s instructions, but do them! I don’t want to shut out the Doctor’s voice any more. I need his help to receive the prescription—pray for your enemies, forgive, give to the one who begs from you, honor one another above yourself, submit to authority, be still and know that I am God... But let’s be real—it’s not just the prescription I need, but also a dose of his Holy Spirit to override my rebellious one so that I’ll actually take it. I’m not naturally submissive to authority—even His, who has what is best for me in mind. But by being my own doctor, all I end up with is a greater problem than the one I started with.
Holy Spirit, convict me. Let’s tackle the deeper issues, and when you give me your remedy—long-term a road as it may be—give me the humility, willingness, and perseverence to take it, with the reward in mind: restoration. Restore me to health, Oh God. Restore me to you.
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