I have had a toothache for two weeks now.  I refused to go to the dentist, insisting it would go away.  I talked to someone at work about it the first day it started and we discussed the possiblity that I was grinding my teeth, because it didn't seem to be one tooth in particular.  The pain subsided some, and I decided the best course of action was to ignore it, pray about it, and hope it went away.

Now this wasn't necessarily a conscious decision, but it was a decision nevertheless.  However, the tooth continued to hurt any time I pushed my teeth together too hard or ate anything too hard.  So...last night, I decided to floss my teeth. (Should've thought of that earlier right?)  I discovered that the source of my pain was not, in fact, my tooth but my gums.  It hurt to floss a particular spot and it started bleeding a lot.  So...what do I do?  Look it up on the internet, find out that minor gum disease can be fixed by flossing and brushing my teeth really good...so I decided to brush and floss more often, pray about it, and hope it goes away.  No reason to go see the dentist (Even though the spot between my back two teeth is hurting and bleeding!).

Well, this morning I wake up and my tooth is in pain.  I hadn't even done anything...so I decide to floss my teeth again.  What do I find?!?  but a little tiny piece of popcorn skin stuck in between my teeth.  I got it out and haven't had any pain all day.  This little tiny piece of popcorn had been causing ALL of my pain and discomfort and if I had just done what I knew to do in the first place (floss), I would have solved the problem two weeks ago and avoided all the pain and discomfort.  But instead I decided to ignore it.

Now, you may be thinking what is the point of this story...here it is.   Immediately after removing the piece of popcorn from my teeth, the pain went away and as I walked out of the bathroom, God said, "It's the same with your sin."  A little, tiny sin can cause a lot of discomfort and pain...ignoring it won't make it go away...dealing with it and getting rid of it is the only way to heal your hurt.  This is how your sin affects the body.

It's interesting because three months ago, a friend prayed that I would know how my sin was affecting the body of Christ.  Now I know.  Thank you Lord for the object lesson.

It's interesting where God has been leading me lately.  Ever since going to Urbana this Christmas, God has been teaching me about community.  In fact, he began teaching me about community even before Urbana.  I had read a book by Don Miller that talks about being in community with people.  My home fellowship quit meeting and I felt the need to "join" the local church fellowship that I had been attending.  I did not make that decision official until after I got back from Urbana.  At Urbana, we studied Ephesians (which is all about "the body" and again felt the need to "join" the local fellowship.  After Christmas, my local fellowship began talking about doing the "40 Days of Community" Bible Study by Rick Warren.  I had my misgivings, but felt the need to be more connected to the body and that being in a small group was the only way to do this...so I decided to participate.  It has been one of the most rewarding things I could have done.  Not because the study is excellent or because Rick Warren's messages are beneficial.  Although, the study has been good and I am learning a lot.  BUT simply because it was what God called me to do:  He called me to be in fellowship with people.  He placed me in this group of people for a reason and every week, I see one more reason for me to be there.

The situation at work has continued to be tough, but I now have a group of people who can pray about it with me that really care and are praying about it.  Yes, I have friends that I have shared with and I know that they pray for me...but this group is designed to be there for each other.  We are willing to take on each other's burdens.  Two weeks ago, one of the other ladies confirmed through a question she asked me that I was supposed to be in this group.  She asked about our school, and despite everything going on, I found myself recommending the school for her daughter and telling her how to contact the school.  I knew then that God was going to work things out.  Last week, I asked for prayer and I knew that they would pray about the work situation.  This week they confirmed that and actually asked how things were going. 

I've been invited to a women's Bible study at one of the ladies' houses.  I am begining to know these people in ways that I wouldn't know them otherwise...and when we shared tonight about problems one of the families is facing "within the church body", I prayed and almost cried on the way home, because I knew that God had allowed her to share in order to ephasize my need to become more involved in the ministry of the church body.  I am excited about the community of believers that God has placed me in.  I am excited because I know that we all feel the need to be connected.  We all feel the need to be in community.  That is the reason that each one of us is in the group.  It's not about the study, although studying the Bible is a WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL thing to do...it's about the COMMUNITY.  I just wish that everyone understood that.

Thank you Lord for placing me in community.  Thank you for allowing me to be surrounded by people who LOVE you and are willing to love others.  Thank you for people who are open and willing to allow me to see what's in their hearts and who are open and willing to share what's in mine.  Thank you for this place you have put me in.  Help me to show your love to these people in all I say and do.  Help me to admit when I am wrong and to forgive when they are.  Amen.