God is a Dentist

Recently, I had been through a series of dental appointments. Few weeks ago were actually my very first dental appointment in Canada. I had a feeling of both excitements as well as a little bit of fear. I was excited in the sense that I finally had dental appointment after a long time, but a little bit fear also because I don’t like seeing dentist. I remember my first tooth extraction were I run away while the dentist was about to inject anaesthesia. The dentist along with his assistant has to run after me.

So it goes with those mixed feelings that I went to the dentist. The first few sessions were really good. The dentist examined my teeth, had some x-rays and found a lot of problems with it. So I had cleaning and fillings. Then my dentist told me that one tooth has to have root canal if it has to be saved. I honestly didn’t understand fully the root canal procedure, but I was thinking if this will solve my dental problems, then I’ll go with it. So another schedule was set, actually, two sessions for the entire root canal procedure.

When I had the last procedure that lasted for an hour or so, I was really praying while the dentist was operating on my tooth. The Lord somehow put some extra sense into what was happening at that moment in my life. I realized while praying, God is a dentist!

Wear and Tear of Eating

I realized if life is a tooth and God is a dentist, then my root canal procedure is but one of those instances in my life journey. It was not the dentist fault when dental problems were found on me but it was because I didn’t took care of my teeth. Teeth problems were my own doing! Or probably, I was having some bad teeth because of the normal wear and tear of eating. Same with my life, it was not Gods fault that I have some problems in life but it was because of my own choices. I made some bad decisions and so suffer the consequences of it. My life’s problems are my own doing! Or probably it’s part of normal life to have pains and sufferings, the normal wear and tear of life because I have no control of all situations. So when life’s tooth aches come, I go back to God and allow Him to check me up. Only He can have right diagnosis over all the tooth aches of life.

Going Through the Procedure

The moment the dentist told me about the real situation of my tooth, I know, I have to go through the root canal procedure, even if it hurts. There is no other way for my tooth to heal, but to go through it. So I decided to have a schedule of the operation.

There are root canal procedures in life that we have to go through. Painful as it may seems, there is no other way but to go through it. These are necessary pains for long term gains.

It’s Good Not to Know Everything

When the root canal procedure was about to start the dentist said, “Are you ready for the long haul?” At that moment it dawned on me, this is no minor operation, this is something major! So what I did, I just closed my eyes and pray for the entire procedure. I didn’t even bother to ask how the procedure is going to be done. I don’t want honestly to have an idea of what will happen, because it will just scare me more. Occasionally I will open my eyes, and I will see big needles and other scary dental things being put on my mouth. I can feel how long the needles being inserted in my tooth. So I chose to close my eyes again or else I will see some scary materials again. It helps not to know some of the procedure because if I know, my mind will already be picturing the scariest possible situation. That was probably one of the longest hours in my life.

Sometimes in life, I want to know everything. But the moment I come know, I ended up just hurting myself. What I’ve learned is that, I don’t have to know everything. There are things that are just meant to be like that. There are things that have no explanation at all. I just have to accept that I don’t know everything and that He is God and I am not. I don’t have to know everything about the root canal, my dentist knows better than me. Sometimes it’s good to just be silent, closed my eyes and prays, trusting that everything will be alright. Isn’t it when you are in a dental table, a blinding light is usually on top of you? That for me is His overwhelming light of embrace, telling me, “It will be fine, I will tell you everything about the procedure I did, after the operation. I tell you, you don’t want to know what I did to you now, but when it is finished, you will realize that this procedure is necessary for you to have a healthy life.” Some of the pains and hurts that I have will only have its meaning when the end goal is reach.

Anaesthesia is Helpful

I could just imagine how painful any operation will be without anaesthesia. No root canal procedure can be done without it. My dentist told me that the procedure’s aim is to kill all the nerves in my tooth. Drill my tooth, clean it and fill it. That’s basically root canal procedure. Without anaesthesia I would die in pain!

Life’s anaesthesia is also necessary. There are times when I am so much in pain that I just need the anaesthesia of God. I prayed, Lord I cannot handle this anymore, I am too hurt to go on, hide me in your wings.

There was this instance in one meeting that I had in our community when I was so down and out, and when I was looking around the venue I found a frame hanging on the wall with the following words:

“There shall be times in your life you shall need a place to hide, away from evil and unreached by your enemies. Make me your hiding place and I shall surely preserve you from trouble and hide you in my secret pavilion. There, you shall be safe from oppressors, gossip and evil. ‘You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with song of deliverance.’ Psalm 32:7”

It’s not a coward thing to hide for a while and be in his embrace, because only in His embrace can I face my life’s challenges head on.

Pains are Useful

As the root canal procedure continues, despite the anaesthesia, I still get some pains, especially if something is pushed hard. The dentist would ask, “Does this part hurts?” and I would say, “Yes, it does!”

I realized pains are useful. The moment my dentists know that some part of my tooth was still hurting, right procedure was immediately applied. Imagine if there was no pain, and fillings are in place already, my tooth will probably develop a much worst problem than the previous one.

Pains are also useful in life. It allows me to look deeper into myself and seriously consider reflecting what is wrong with me. It forces me to find a remedy instead of just burying and covering it with fillings that usually is but a facade of what is really happening inside, or else, the pains will continue unabated. It must be exposed, so that real diagnosis will be possible and the right procedure can be applied.

Pain Reliever is Necessary

After the operation the dentist gave me a pain reliever aside from the antibiotic that I have to take. I just had a major procedure and pain reliever, the dentist told me, will make the healing process bearable.

It’s okay too to have some pain relievers in life after a painful life root canal situation that I have. These pain relievers can be my family, friends, or places where I can recuperate. It will make my healing process bearable!

Trust the Dentist and Follow Instructions

When I had the root canal procedure, I went through it with full trust on my dentist. My dentist knows better than me. Trust is very important. I believe my dentist has the right and more than enough knowledge of my tooth problem. So when prescriptions are made, I follow the instructions.

I should trust God, He knows better than me. When He makes some holy root canal operation in my life, I trust that he has something good in mind for me. If I trust my human dentist, how much more God dentist! And because I trust God, I follow His instructions; I drink my medicines, including pain relievers of course.

God is a dentist indeed!

by aats