And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 ESV

As I writhed in pain in the chair, the dentist wrestled on with the split tooth. It was very painful and I did not want him to touch it, let alone pull on it, but the toothache would not 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. Finally, the dentist got it out in three parts and the pain gradually subsided. I spared him.

God loves us, but when there are harmful things in our life He will often remove them. It can hurt and we would really like Him to leave it alone. Pride, arrogance, bitterness, greed, lust, hate, He has methods for every stronghold in our life and He loves us too much to leave them there.

Like a Father removing a splinter from his childs hand, or a dentist removing a broken tooth, God knows that 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.

Do not panic today if life is painful, for it will not always be. Be sure that your main focus in life is doing Gods will and everything else will begin to line up properly. This does not 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 work out for good.

God is always right. When you have a disagreement with Him, you will never win. His arm is too big to twist. Our threats do not intimidate Him. Dont struggle against Him. Work with Him to remove the harmful things and it will be over quickly. Struggling against Him will only prolong it, but He will not stop until He gets it out.

Prayer: Lord 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 want more of Your presence today, in Jesus name I pray.