by Linda Veath

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Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea blown and tossed by the wind. ~ James 1:2-6 NIV

It was time to brush my teeth. I picked up the toothbrush, rinsed it off, and applied the tooth paste. Just as I was ready to stick the toothbrush into my mouth, I gasped as I realized just what I was doing. I was about to brush my teeth—BUT with the dog’s toothbrush and poultry-flavored toothpaste.

Yes, really.

I knew then that I was spending way too much time chewing on a situation I was facing. I was living Romans 7 at the moment. I want to do this. But should I? I don’t want to do this. But maybe … Back and forth. Back and forth. I was truly being blown and tossed by the wind. What should I do? What did God want me to do? Were they one and the same?

Because of my continual fretting, I had almost brushed my teeth with dog toothpaste. Eck. I needed my focus back on God, and my heart needed to be cleansed to do that. Who would have thought God would have used dog tooth paste to remind me? But He did. And I am so thankful.

As I rest in the assurance that He will guide me in the situation I face, may you also rest in that assurance for your lives. And may we all remember that, not only do we need the right TOOTH paste to cleanse our teeth, we need the right TRUTH paste to cleanse our hearts.

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