Most people do not enjoy going to the dentist. For this reason they put it off. This is actually the cause of unpleasant visits at the dentist. Not only does this result in the dentist lecturing you about the importance of regular visits. More prevalent is the cleaning that happens afterward. Because regular cleanings get put off going for years, what should be a routine cleaning can turn into a major ordeal. This can cause a more painful process. It may even turn into multiple visits. This process may hurt, but it is not what caused the pain. It is a result of it. It may hurt, but it is for your good. The hygienist or dentist isn’t trying to hurt you, but help you get better.
Did you also know that not visiting the dentist regularly can lead to other health issues other than plaque and tartar buildup, tooth decay, cavities and such? Believe it or not, it can also contribute to other health problems like heart disease, stroke, and respiratory infections from bacteria formed in the mouth. Neglecting dental care can also result in more complex, expensive treatments in the future, chronic pain, and a decline in overall well-being. It’s really astounding the effects of not having your teeth cleaned professionally can present. So it is very important to see your dentist regularly.
When we spend years away from God and not attending church regularly we develop decay. This decay can cause “bacteria” in our lives that multiplies and causes all types of issues. This can affect multiple parts of our lives. When we decide that it is time to return to God we find that we have developed all of this decay. Then we begin the process of removing this decay. This can sometimes be a painful process that takes time. After all, just like the plaque that attaches to our teeth seems to become part of our teeth. The sin and decay that we have grown so used to has attached itself to our lives so much that it seems to have become part of who we are.
When God begins to deal with us we must endure the pain of removing these things that are not good for us. We must allow God to clean all of the decay out of our lives. We should be faithful to the house of God not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another even more as you see the day of the Lord coming nearer (Hebrews 10:25 ISV). Return to God and let Him perform a spiritual surgery on you as it says in Ezekiel 36:26 (BBE) And I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you: I will take away the heart of stone from your flesh, and give you a heart of flesh.
1 Corinthians 15:53-58 ISV 53 For what is decaying must be clothed with what cannot decay, and what is dying must be clothed with what cannot die. 54 Now, when what is decaying is clothed with what cannot decay, and what is dying is clothed with what cannot die, then the written word will be fulfilled: “Death has been swallowed up by victory!” 55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 56 Now death’s stinger is sin, and sin’s power is the Law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus the Messiah! 58 Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, unmovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that the work that you do for the Lord isn’t wasted.