Spiritual cleaning

Psalms 51:10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

While studies may vary, it is estimated that between 60 and 80 percent of Americans avoid regular dental visits. Additionally, a 2019 CDC report found that 35% of adults 18 and older didn’t have a dental exam or cleaning that year. Unsurprisingly, anxiety is cited as the most common reason for people to avoid the dentist. Some people even have a dental phobia, which is a condition recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. While skipping those visits may provide relief from the mental aspect, it also places you at risk for a myriad of physical health issues.

While dental cleanings are essential for maintaining optimal oral health and function, they are also crucial for health in general. Good dental hygiene can prevent cavities, tooth decay, gum disease, and bad breath. Additionally, it has been linked to diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and respiratory conditions. Dental hygiene, which includes brushing, flossing, and mouthwash, is critical to your overall physical health. It is, therefore, unwise to be negligent about this aspect of your health, as the cumulative effect can have serious consequences.

2 Timothy 3:12 (NIV) In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

By analogy, if cavities result from dental health neglect, what may be the result of neglecting our relationship with God? First, let us be clear: just because there are struggles in your life does not necessarily mean you have been negligent in maintaining it. Yet we must also be open to the promptings of God that this may be the case. We shall hit bumps in the road during our lives, which scripture guarantees. But perhaps we can limit their impact by ensuring that we align with God’s will for our lives and strive to be upright and holy before him.

But what happens when we fail to maintain ourselves spiritually? Unlike dental visits, we cannot simply avoid a spiritual cleaning. God makes house calls and, in love, will come to us and provide situations and circumstances (trials and tribulations) that will assist us in getting back into spiritual health. We know that God corrects those he loves (Hebrews 12:6), so when he comes into our lives in this aspect, it is because he loves us. Perhaps you have been struggling with old issues recently or have weakened in some spiritual areas. Now would be a great time to take inventory and see where you may not have been consistent with things such as reading the Bible or prayer.

Insight

An effective strategy for lessening the impact of trials in our lives is to ensure that we have performed daily maintenance in our relationship with God.