As I writhed in pain in the chair, the dentist wrestled on with the split tooth. It was very painful, and I didn't want him to touch it, let alone tug on it like he was doing. Yet, my toothache wouldn't go away until all of it was removed. Like Esau, I began to comfort myself with the thought of killing him when it was over. Eventually, he got the tooth out in three parts. The pain gradually subsided. I spared him.

God loves us, but when there are harmful things in our life, He can be relentless when removing them. It can hurt, and we would really like Him to just leave it alone. He has methods for every stronghold in our life, like our pride, arrogance, bitterness, greed, lust, and hate. He loves us too much to leave them in there to grow worse.

Like a Father removing a splinter from his child's hand, or a dentist removing a broken tooth, God knows it is for your own good, and He will not relent. It is scary how far He will go to remove things from your life when you get serious about seeking Him.

Don't panic today if life is painful, for it won't always be. Be sure that your main focus in life is doing God's will, and everything else will begin to line up properly. Involve Him in your decisions. It doesn't mean that your life will be pain-free, but it will work out for the best in the long run. The things that you are going through will eventually work out for good.

God is always right. This means that when you have a disagreement with Him that you will never win. His arm is too big to be twisted, and our threats don't intimidate Him. So don't struggle against Him. Work with Him to remove the harmful things, and it will be over sooner. Struggling against Him will only prolong it, but He won't stop until He gets it all out.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please set me free from the things that hold me back. Break the shackles that hold me, for I cannot. I submit to Your will for my life, and I want more of Your presence today. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!

Note: "Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray.” James 5:13 ~ If you have a prayer need, we are here for you! We and the prayer team are ready to lift you up at our private prayer page: RHM Prayer Network. If you are interested in joining the prayer team, here is how to get started Prayer Partners.