What has you in its hold?
That is the question Paul David Tripp asks in his devotional Journey to the Cross, a devotional of thoughts focused on the meaning and purpose behind Lent. Although I am not a follower of Lent, nor am I a pastor in a church denomination that does, I do like to start focusing on the upcoming Resurrection event, all that led up to it and all it means. I’ve used this devotional several times before but it has been since 2023 so it is like I’m reading it for the first time.
Anyway, on Day 4 of his book, Tripp asks the question I asked at the very beginning:
What has you in its hold?
He preceded that with a question and a comment:
God intends suffering to pry open our hands so we let go of things of this earth and hold more tightly to Jesus.
He then goes on to ask a slew of questions which are both numerous and pointed. And while I don’t have the space to put them all down here, I do know they stopped me up short. One of the points he was trying to drive home is expecting the physical to satisfy the spiritual will never work. I was not/you were not made to find satisfaction in the physical. If I or you think we will, we will be sadly mistaken. Trying to salve a longing we are experiencing with the physical will always bring us up short, empty and dry.
This has come home to roost lately. I have had two back surgeries. One in 2017 that removed a bone fragment on a nerve from getting hit by a car while riding my bike. In 2022 I had surgery to relieve and make space for the nerves in my lower spine. Until 2 1/2 weeks ago I was doing fine. Then BAM! Out of nowhere I was in extreme pain and discomfort. I won’t lie and say I wasn’t extremely disappointed. Still am. But there is a silver lining in this whole thing. The physical discomfort and pain (and disappointment) has changed me. Physically it has been a challenge. It has definitely interrupted my sleep pattern to the tune of being unable to sleep through the night.
It has also refocused my heart. Tripp wrote, “Idols never just disappoint us; they addict us as well.” It is easy to allow our physical condition and conditioning to become an idol. I was borderline on both. That was and is wrong! I need to let go of the physical and hold more tightly to Jesus. I need to not allow a good thing to become a ruling thing.
What about you?
It’s so incredibly difficult when we are in a lot of pain, as you are with your back, to let it go and cling tighter to Jesus, Bill, but you are setting the example for all of us. The physical can never satisfy like the spiritual can and will. Thank you for truly making me sit up and take notice this morning.
Blessings! (And I do hope you start to feel better!)
Thanks for your thoughts Martha. I’m glad my lessons can help others. (Now…if only I could sleep and this pain would go away!) 🙂
Bill, I am so very sorry to hear about this recent reoccurance of pain in your body. This is hard stuff, no matter what our faith.
Dear Lord,
Thank You that You’re holding our dear friend and Your servant in the palm of Your hands. Give him peace, give him hope, open the doors to the best treatment. Calm his heart, mind, and body in Christ Jesus.
Amen.
Thank you so much Linda for the thoughts and they prayer. I’m trying to figure out what to do next. See the back doctor. Keep seeing my chiro. keep using the ice/heat treatment. Just not sure. Thanks for the wisdom.
Bill I will be praying that you get some guidance on what to do next for your back. Praying that the pain and discomfort subsided for you. We all need to trust the Lord more, and be patient for His answers, which is never an easy thing to do, but when discomfort from physical pain is involved that requires trust in the Lord but also seeking the right treatment. Idols can be so deceiving, they are never one shape, one type, and anything that directs our attention from the Lords council can completely give us some false perspective. Bill I know you trust the Lord, and I also know you will seek out the right treatment but I will ask the Lord to guide your path.
Thank you Gail. I am seeking to know the right path to take. I’m not a fan of surgery but if necessary then so be it. I know WHOM I belong to.