(September 22, 2024) Dr Robert McQuillan happily shares a recent woe to encourage.

Yes, I know, I know… even quote Psalm 27:1b to troubled people: ‘The Lord is the stronghold of my life — of whom shall I be afraid?’

So I’m human, and was now sort of fearing not the ‘whom’ but the ‘what’… yes me! Me who is forever telling Christians not to fear, was now fearing! Well… maybe not fear as in frightening fear, but was a little apprehensive!

Pain
And why shouldn’t I be anxious? I was having great hallux unguis incarnatus onychocryptosis pain — left big toe ingrown nail pain! And… I knew from previous experience with my right big toe that just before my doctor would give me several ‘relaxing’ needle injection shots into my toe and surrounding area, he’d be saying, ‘Robert, this is going to hurt!’ And that my response would be ‘I know, doctor, and I’ll try not to scream but I will.’ And scream I would!

Great subject to be sharing, huh! Told my darling wife Maureen what would happen: Her comforting word? ‘Oh you wimp.’ Great too, eh? So off to the doc’s I go with Maureen’s farewelling ‘You’ll be okay. I’ll  be praying for you.’ Yes, I think… but not suffering. Help, Lord!

Checking in with the clinic’s new receptionist I jokingly said, ‘Well, here I am for the torture chamber’ to which she suppressed a giggle 😊. She’s from northern India and I asked, ‘Oh, by the way, do you know what your name means?’ She answered ‘No’ and I really surprised her by saying, ‘It means “Lucky” so I going to think of you as my lucky charm and avoid the torture pain.’ Now she really giggled 😊. Me? Knowing what was ahead, I was weakly half-smiling ☹!

Pearl
Hey… bear with me: I do have a good testimony here. Mama Lava shares great insights this month about pearls — Precious Pearls of Prudence — particularly sharing that ‘prudence is the ability to make intelligent decisions especially in everyday matters.’ I recommend Mama Lava’s excellent article… and now share about ‘my surgery pearl of great price’ experience.

Come the ‘operation’ time, I was not smiling! I confess that I did scream a few times and gripped the operation table so tightly as my doctor injected several shots into my big toe area. The pain was not his fault! Just me whinging! The receptionist was definitely not ‘my lucky charm’ and yes, it’s easy to be funny, to joke now that it’s all over!

I apologised to the doctor if I was disturbing patients in the adjoining waiting area! After a moment or two I felt all right and he inserted the blade into my toe to cut the ingrowth, but I screamed again, biting my lower lip!

The doc warned me that there was only a little antiseptic left in the needle and if that didn’t work, well… When he jabbed me once more, I ‘aaahed’ again biting my lower lip. Yeah… Doctor Wimpy, that was me… and I don’t mean Doctor Wimpy Ice-cream!

Preciousness
Then suddenly I remembered Mama Lava’s article and recalled my precious prudence pearl — the blessed Holy Spirit, my best friend! Why hadn’t I called on Him before? After all, I’m always telling people that He’s there to help us in everything.

I started asking the Spirit to help me… and also to guide the good doc, a friend who so loves it when I lay hands on him and pray for him as I leave his clinic.

And by asking I mean calling out quietly in the gift of tongues, unconcerned that the practice nurse and the doctor were hearing me speak in an unknown language!

 It worked — the blessed Holy Spirit helped me and I didn’t feel any more pain as the needle went further in, not even when the sharp knife was used. I was as quiet as a mouse, no more loud ‘aaahs.’ And in no time it was all over including a huge bandage wrap-up. Time to relax after thank-you to the doc and nurse.

Plentiness
I would add that scriptures, even ones I often give to troubled individuals had come to mind about God’s comforting promise to not fear! I haven’t space here to list the hundreds of scriptures indicating to ‘Fear not’  but it’s been said that there are plenty of scriptures about this most repeated command in the Bible. Lloyd Ogilvie in Facing the Future Without Fear even said there are 366 ‘Fear nots’ in the Bible, one for every day of the year, including Leap Year!

In this troubled and sinful world, none of us, even Christians can avoid painful encounters of various kinds that can even paralyse with fear! But God is powerful and we His children can claim the protection of our heavenly Father!

The Holy Spirit quickly reminded me to claim my pearl and pray Psalm 46:1-2a, ‘God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear…’ Also my Saviour’s comforting John 14:27 command: ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.’

I lay there not screaming but quietly resting in the Spirit’s arms and praising God in tongues.  And then it was all over! Was I one happy chappy!

Later at home I found Isaiah 41:13NASB, ‘For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand [big toe, I thought] and says to you, “Do not fear; I will help you!”’(Message Bible: ‘That’s right. Because I, your God, have a firm grip on you and I’m not letting go. I’m telling you, “Don’t panic. I’m right here to help you”’). 

Pleasure
Sure I had to rest up when I came home but to my delight my grandson-in-law Matthew brought three-year-old great-granddaughter Avaleigh Grace round to cheer me up. And was she the fun-of-the- party!

Hopping off her first-ever bycycle, with her coy ‘What’s up, Poppa?’ look, Avaleigh was my second pearl of great price!

Something bothering you, that’s upsetting and causing some dreading, some edgy anticipation health-wise? Thank God for the medical profession, but do remember that you can also ask His help.

Or is something else bugging you? Know that you know that you know you can give every trouble over to the Lord!

Check out Romans 5:5, ‘… we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary — we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!’ 

Mama Lava’s icon comes to mind —

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Dr Robert and Pastor Maureen McQuillan’s links are OnlinerConnect@gmail.com and Facebook _________________________________________