Strain

I’m not sure if many of you were aware that I strained the muscles in my neck, back and left shoulder recently. It happened on a Thursday night while playing basketball here at the church during our Men’s basketball league. Trying to sleep with a strained neck is never easy, especially when you know you’re about to sleep in a bed other than your own for the next couple nights. It just so happens that I strained my neck on a Thursday and was going to Hanging Rock Christian Camp on Friday for a weekend retreat with Jr. High students.

I was going to be the speaker on Saturday morning for the main worship session. It was hard to turn my head, hard to stand up and even hard to sit down at times because of the awkward pain. Things really were not looking good for the weekend. One of the most inconvenient things was getting in and out of the car. I was practically hitting my head every time because I couldn't bend my neck to miss the top of the door.

Nevertheless, I made it through. I completed my speaking during the Saturday morning main session, I helped teach an elective class that afternoon and I managed to dodge most of the basketballs that came flying my way throughout the weekend.

I really wasn’t feeling too bad Sunday morning when I woke up. I thought I was getting over the muscle strain without going to the doctor. I really hate going to a doctor, and I hadn’t been before this year for quite some time. However, Sunday night I didn’t sleep well at all. People could tell just by looking at me that something wasn’t right. It was really just getting incredibly frustrating.

I broke down Tuesday and went to a Chiropractor and a Doctor. It’s unbelievable just how much better I felt after seeing these two guys. Before seeing them, I had dealt with my neck for nearly a week without asking for help. Why did I do that? And better yet, why do we do that?

With our spiritual lives we do exactly what I did with my neck. We keep thinking, “It’s going to get better, it’s going to get better, it’s going to get better.” We deny the help of those around us who just want to help. We have this pride when it comes to doing things on our own.

Even though everybody I saw during those few days, they could tell that I was struggling to deal with my neck hurting, I never let any of them help and I never took their advice to see a doctor.

Why do we struggle with sin and not ask for help from the Doctor who could help us get better? Why do we act like we have nothing wrong with us when everybody around us can see what we're struggling with?

Let’s go to the Doctor with our struggles and pain. Let’s work to get better instead of trying to deal with sin on our own. God is there for us, let's stop acting like we don't need Him.