Tap Tap Tap

I have a love-hate relationship with my dentist. I hate hearing the drill when fixing a cavity or the inordinate amount of time I have to keep my mouth open or X-rays. I dislike deep cleaning. I hate getting the first shot of anesthesia to numb my gums. But I do it all because a beautiful smile is worthwhile (to me). Teeth are one of the first things I notice when I meet a person.

Twenty years ago, I suffered a traumatic accident where my front teeth were damaged. My wonderful dentist (at the time) fixed my teeth so my smile looked as original as possible. But the work she did was temporary. Recently I've had to go through a series of procedures to permanently fix my smile.

I'm now at the tail end of these procedures; however, before we could call it done, one of the final steps was to ensure my bite was accurate (i.e. bite adjustment). If you've ever had a fill-in, you're probably familiar with this final step. Typically this involves the dentist examining how your upper and lower teeth come together when you close your mouth. They will look for any signs of misalignment, excessive wear on specific teeth, or discomfort in the jaw joints. To do this they will use what is known as articulation paper instructing you to "tap, tap, tap." Articulation paper, is a very thin piece of paper, usually blue, with a tiny amount of ink marking on its surface. Biting the teeth together leaves tiny pressure marks where the bite of the teeth meets. The dentist then adjusts accordingly until the bite is just right. Sometimes this goes quick, but more often than not it takes longer than anticipated because the dentist makes small adjustments with their tools until everything is right.

This is the last and final step, but it cannot be rushed. The adjustment is precise, a little at a time.

As I tap, tap, tapped for what seemed like the umpteenth time, I thought about how God is often precise, while making small adjustments in our lives until we are perfectly aligned.

Tap tap tap - you'll need to talk a little softer. 

Tap tap tap - use different words.

Tap tap tap - say a prayer for your coworker.

Tap tap tap - keep praying for that difficult person.

Tap Tap Tap.

And after what seems an interminable amount of time you realize you've changed. You've been refined into more of His likeness.

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Philippians 1:6 NLT

Tap Tap Tap. Don't fight it. Let God do his perfect work in you.

What small changes has God made in you that move you closer to His will for you?

--Nylse

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