Prodding and Poking Touchy Subjects… Hello weekend readers. I have an unusual musing that I have been musing on for a while! Just the other day another part of that musing came up in talking with a couple that were camping here at the park. After some interesting conversation all I could think of was this was God prodding me to share my musings. So, here goes…

Touchy subjects often come up in our lives. Sadly, religion is one of those topics that can either soothe or poke the heart. In this past month, I have had conversations with folks here in the campground, my online readers, some of my family and friends, that I can sum up as “critical, not comfortable with that, I like feel-good instead of real truth, and the big one was I’m not fond of that Scripture at all—why is it even in the Bible?”

This reminds me of the warning the Apostle Paul gave to Timothy, his up-and-coming-young-pastor. Paul wrote to him (found in 2 Timothy 4:3 [ERV]) saying: “The time will come when people will not listen to the true teaching. But people will find more and more teachers who please them. They will find teachers who say what they want to hear.” 

We’ve all gone to the doctor for a check-up. We may not like the prodding and poking, and that question “Does this hurt?” Sometimes it does, it means something is wrong so time for more tests which we don’t like but we want to be well.

Isn’t this a lot like when our pastors, priests or chaplains teach on touchy subjects? Folks will let them know that they “prefer not to hear such things from the pulpit.” Like the doctor, there is something wrong underneath the surface but they don’t want to face it. It’s that saying that I just can’t stand, “It’s all good.” Really? Did Jesus tell us our lives would be all good, no problems, just an easy skate through life? You know that answer.

That’s why I used the Scripture above. We can easily adopt living under the illusion that everything will be just fine. We daily tell ourselves this illusion. After all, who wants to hear bad news—especially from the pulpit!! Yet, the Bible is a powerful tool our Great Physician uses to poke and prod in order to identify areas of concern in our lives. God wants us to be healed in body, mind and soul. Which means we may not like to hear what God wants us to do. Instead, we find another way that seems easier—smooth—likeable—until it isn’t.

I suggest we examine what’s “under the surface” in our spiritual lives. Face them head on and with prayer and trust, give God our problems because where else will you find healing? Even our doctors tell us to do a good “self-check” with our health so why not do it with our spiritual health?

So, the next time you read a passage of Scripture that you don’t like or agree with, or a teaching that makes you uncomfortable, if not downright upset, ask yourself if the pressure you are experiencing is too high, or if maybe there is something under the surface in your spiritual life that needs to be checked out.

Ask God to help you discern those areas in your life where problems are lurking beneath the surface—just waiting to raise your blood pressure if not your anger quotient. No doubt it’s something you don’t want to face yet there it is. The only way to conquer this is to face it head on. Pray that God will give you the resolve to react appropriately when God’s “prodding and poking” hurts! After all, do you want to keep hiding from your own self or find the healing your soul and mind truly needs? Again, the choice is yours – choose wisely. AMEN.