Don't scratch the itch.

1 Thes 4

Well, I got some kind of athlete's foot on the inside arch of my left foot several months ago (probably in Ecuador), and originally, it was just a nuisance, but then it worsened. Spiritual analogy, part 1: fleshly junk, sin, or disobedience in your life, when ignored, will always get worse.

Several weeks ago, I finally decided to start treating it with a creme.  Apply twice daily for four weeks.  Spiritual analogy, part 2: prayer and Scripture should be applied to our souls multiple times per day, and in most cases, the cure is not instantaneous.) Of course, it itched like crazy, but I resisted the urge to scratch, and I only got a small amount of satisfaction in the quasi-itch of applying the creme. 

Well, a couple of days ago, the spot on my foot was showing good improvement.  But it itched.  I still had my sock on, so I indulged in just a little scratch.  But of course, the little scratch never satisfies the itch.  So, a few seconds later, I tried again.  But then the itch grew in intensity, so I needed a stronger scratch.  You know the story.   Before long, I was itching like a hound dog.  Unfortunately, I still had my sock on, so I did not realize that I was scratching hard enough to peel off the outer layer of skin.  Yep, within five minutes, I was really regretting my decision to scratch.  Probably set me back two weeks.  Spiritual analogy, part 3: scratching the fleshly itch only shifts your focus to the flesh, and sin and flesh always cause you more pain and harm than you ever expected.

I should have learned my lesson.  Tuesday evening, I tried to start a fire in our outdoor chimenea with the remaining lighter fluid.  Unfortunately, a few minutes later, the fire was out.  Well, I was frustrated and cantankerous, and I had some two-year old weedeater gasoline in the garage, so I figured I could get the fire started with that.  I gave it a hybrid sprinkle-baptism, and then tried to light it.  But the lighter that I had just used didn't work.  (I am pretty sure that an angel was sitting there snuffing out the tip every time I tried to light it.)  Then it worked.  Boom.  Hot.  Singed hair; burned skin.  Fortunately, the Lord protected me (maybe the same angel) from major injury, but the hair on my right forearm is gone, my beard is shorter, and the tips of my nose and right ear got roasted.  I shouldn't have scratched the itch.

This was particularly embarrassing, because Steve and Tamara were over for homegroup.  Steve prayed a kind prayer for healing before they left, and I know that the Lord answered his prayer.

I was just thinking earlier this week that the Lord sometimes allows us to learn wisdom by making mistakes.

Heavenly Father, please help me set my mind on the spirit.  I want to be a man who loves you and walks with you.  Please deliver me from the temptations of this world and the impulses of my flesh.  Lord, may I be diligent in resisting the urge to scratch, and may I be faithful and patient in applying the salve of Scripture and prayer in the process of sanctification.  I love you, and I pray in the name of Jesus Christ.