God is Making my Crooked Places Straight

Growing up, I hated my crooked teeth. They were a source of ridicule and shame. I begged for braces and I was excited when the day came to finally get them. I had braces for two years. My teeth were perfect, but during the process I forgot to be grateful. By the time the braces came off, I was a different person, proud and confident. I took my two-year process for granted. The fact that I did not care to wear my retainers was proof. As the years went by, I did not even notice the shifting taking place. It was such a slow and gradual change. I never felt the urgency to do anything to stop it. Until one day I really stopped to look at my smile and I realized my teeth had reverted back to what they would have been had I never even had braces. What a sad day. But still not enough for immediate action. Over the years to come I would contemplate getting my teeth straightened again. I even visited some orthodontists and got quotes on pricing and plans of treatment. The timescale was the same (two years) but this time I would have to have four teeth removed and I would have to foot the bill for all of it. On the day when I finally committed, I sat in the dentist's chair and cried like a baby. I was ashamed of myself for not maintaining what I had been freely given. I cried because I was being humbled again. I was grateful that God allowed me the opportunity and the resources to be able to go back and get it right. Sometimes as Christians we begin taking our relationship with God for granted. We forget how when we first cried out to Him, He answered us and with a mighty hand He delivered us from whatever it was that had us entangled. Somehow we find ourselves slowly drifting away and returning to the same thinking and behavior that He has already delivered us from. Even a gift given freely can be lost if not maintained. Sometimes we have to go back in order to move forward. We have to go back to the place of surrender, back to being thirsty and hungry for righteousness, back to truly humbling ourselves under His mighty hand.

May God always go before us making our crooked places straight and may His grace and mercy follow us all the days of our lives!