Fillings and Rough Edges

I sat at the dentist today getting a filling. It's not a spot high on my "favorite places and things" list for sure. Yet, here I found myself. I sat patiently through the numbing shot and let it take effect (bleh). I managed to "relax" through the drilling and filling. But, by the time the dentist was putting on the finishing touches and grinding my new filling smooth, I was getting quite done. The grinding sound rang in my head, my jaw was tired of being open, and I found myself *willing* the dentist to declare my tooth "good enough" so I could just be done. 

At some point I realized the sillyness of getting aggravated at the final moments. After all, if I could make it through all the rest, why give up at the moments meant to make my filling better match my other teeth and be smooth enough to not hurt? Certainly I could sit still for 2 more minutes.

And, as I sat there, this thought occured to me: Getting a tooth filled could surely be related to our spiritual lives somehow. 

See, normally my least favorite part of dental work is the numbing shot. It hurts because, well, I'm not numb yet. It's also terrible because I know it's going to make me uncomfortable for some amount of time. 

When we first realize we need to turn to God, it is often through some sort of uncomfortable moment, thought process, or turn of events. It shakes us ... It might even hurt ... But it sets us up for what's to come.

Once numb, the dentist can do whats needed because I'm only *sort* of feeling it. When we are newling on fire for God we are willing to make big changes because we're excited and passionate. We're willing to put ourselves out there because we have new and wonderful things to share. We shrug off any slight discomfort, secure in the fact that "it's worth it".

But somewhere along the way during the dental process I get tired of sitting there holding my mouth open. The finishing works starts feeling a bit like torture and I just plain ole get tired of it. Im tempted to settle for "good enough" in an effort for more comfort and ease.

How often in my spiritual life have I gotten a bit tired of the "finishing work"? Have I been tempted to settle for good enough just so I didn't have to work as hard? Just so I could be more comfortable? Have I wished the trials that I know make me stronger would just ... Quit? 

Sure I have. But goodness knows I'm not anywhere close to perfect yet, and so even though sometimes I wish against it, I am thankful the trials will continue to smooth out my rough edges.

It'd be a shame if my cavity had just gotten bigger or if a bad, uneven filling job ruined my teeth.

It'd be worse if my rough spots kept me out of heaven someday.