Have you ever stubbed a toe or slammed your thumb in the door? Isn’t it amazing how something so little can cause so much discomfort? I was reminded of that earlier this week while cleaning out our pantry. As I smoothed the end of the new shelf paper down, I picked up an unexpected souvenir . . . a long splinter.
That little sliver of wood has driven me nuts this week. I tried the old method of using a sterilized needle and tweezers to remove it. I got part of it, but after fooling with it for several days, I still haven’t been able to get all of the splinter out.
My hand is so sore, partly from the splinter and partly from where I used the needle to try to remove the splinter. I’m on a tight deadline for two books so I’ve been spending a good bit of time at my computer. Every time I bend my hand to type, it pulls on the sore spot. It hurts just to touch it.
When I cook dinner, wash my hands or straight-iron my hair, I’m reminded of that tiny sliver that’s stuck in my hand. It’s absolutely crazy how something so small can have such a big impact.
If you stop and think about it, though, it’s exactly the same in our lives. Sometimes we allow a little bitterness to take root in our hearts, and it makes itself known in everything we do.
Or we experience a hurtful moment, and instead of turning loose of it, we allow it to fester. Maybe it’s a situation where we were wronged. The other person might have apologized, sometimes even numerous times, but we refuse to forgive them.
Such seemingly little moments, but they’re splinters of life that can defeat us. They can wreck our homes, our hearts and our relationships. And if we allow them to fester, they can even cause us to turn our backs on God.
You know what, sweet friends? The only cure for my sore hand is to get rid of the splinter. And the only cure for a heart filled with bitterness, anger and hurt, is to get rid of what’s causing that problem. To forgive. If you don’t, the only person hurt will be you.
Dear Lord, I don’t want to let bitterness, anger or hurt ruin my life. I don’t want it to affect me or those I love. And most of all, I don’t want it to be a barrier in my relationship with You. Help me to turn loose of what is causing me pain, to learn to forgive, and provide the healing I need to be whole and healthy spiritually. Amen.
