One of the residual effects of my car accident is tinnitus (ringing in the ears). My physician told me that my concussion may have caused this. It’s been strong, loud, and many times piercing in its high pitch. I sleep only a few hours a night due to the ringing. It easily wakes me up. So this past week, I was sent to a Neurologist. In the ear that has the ringing, the neurologist found some dried blood deep in my ear and a great deal of irritation around the ear drum. He believes the damage was caused by the accident. An MRI is being done to make sure none of my wiring has been crossed. Now we all know that my wires have been crossed for a long time… so nothing new. He also gave me something to help with the sleeping.
He asked me, “How long were you unconscious when the wreck occurred?” I said, “None at all.” Then he asked, “Well, how do you know? You had amnesia.” I thought about his question and then replied, “I guess I really don’t know…” He made me laugh. “You are really messing with my head…” Then again, he is a neurologist.
I am finding that in life God uses almost every situation that happens to me as a teaching moment of a spiritual truth. If you look for it, you can find a God-truth in each of your situations. And when you find the God-truth… well, it will radically change how you view your circumstances.
When God did not heal Paul from his “thorn in the flesh” God taught him great truths by not answering Paul’s continual prayer.
“So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” 2 Corinthians 12:7b-9 (NLT)
Why would God allow Satan to torment Paul? For a great reason… if Paul became a prideful person, the power of Christ would no longer work through him. God would stop using him. Paul had plenty to brag about. He had great seeds for success that could quickly grow into thorns of pride.
God wants to grow you and me into Christ-likeness. He wants us to learn humility. Was Christ humble?
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Philippians 2:7-8
So yes, Christ was humble. And God wants you and me to be like Him. So what is God teaching me with my “thorn in the ears”? Well, I have learned that when I don’t focus on the ringing; when I ignore it, I don’t hear it. Yes, it’s still there. Yes it is still loud, but I just don’t hear it. But when I think about it (like right now as I write this) the ringing is very loud and piercing. It seems to grow in its loudness. It is annoying and distracting… and can even be depressing.
Temptation is like that. It always there… “crouching like a lion waiting to devour.” Temptation is all around you. The temptation to gossip; lie; cheat; ignore the Holy Spirit’s promptings; fulfill the desires of the flesh, be driven by fear, hatred, selfishness, to mistreat, misuse, judge, to be prideful, arrogant, stubborn… you name it, it is always near by.
So here is one last lesson that I am learning from the tinnitus. When I focus on the temptations that are always around me, they become more intense. My focus on them increases the power of the temptations! I give the temptation a greater opportunity to draw me closer; to defeat me. So I have a choice…do I concentrate on the temptation or do I choose to “focus on the author and finisher of my faith?”
Flee from your temptation… stop thinking about it, focusing on it, empowering it. The spiritual power to resist comes from a posture of humility. Not false humility, but one that understands that if it were not for the grace of God, you and I could and would quickly fall into sin.
So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor. James 4:10
Remember, just like the ringing, temptation is always there. You get to decide whether you focus on it or not. Choose to focus on the Lord Jesus Christ.
