Yesterday, I woke up with what can only be described as a hunk of metal in my eye. Not a sliver of metal or a smidgen. A HUNK. It stung like crazy and itched like I had gone to some overgrown field, found a long vine of poison ivy, and systematically smeared my eyeball with its leaves, just for grins.
No amount of rubbing, flushing, or eye-drop watering seemed to make a difference. About the only thing that helped was hot compresses and keeping the darn thing shut.
Early in the day, as this annoyance became more entrenched in my life, I remembered a verse in the Bible, from Luke 6:42:
How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
I got to thinking "Is this my proverbial plank? Is there an offense I have committed against someone else while I, clearly, have a real issue on my end?"
And, the conclusion I came to was "Yes. Yes there is."*
If you haven't read my posts over this past week, I've been HYPER critical of things going on around me. I haven't been happy with people. I haven't been happy with situations. I've been really jacked up about companies that weren't treating me well.
My attitude was piss poor. And it is reflected in the last three days of writing I've done.
I could blame all kinds of things for this issue: monthly timing, school starting, the heat. But, honestly, my attitude is my domain. I control it. And, if I let pressures outside of myself control my attitude, shame on me.
Do I think God intentionally caused my eye problem? No.
Do I think God caused me to remember the words of Luke and make the connection? Heck, YES!
And, for that? I'm VERY grateful. This was a somewhat gentle reminder to get my rear back on the right track.
Because, when I remember that Paul was afflicted with a thorn for the entirety of his ministry, one he clearly wanted removed but that God determined was necessary, probably to keep Paul humble, I am thankful.
While my eye isn't one hundred percent this morning, it certainly didn't take an overnight turn for the worst. I didn't wake up to a fully shut, crusty lid and a painfully red, itchy eyeball.
I prayed last night for complete healing for my eye. And, I feel, this morning things are looking significantly up.
Most importantly, my attitude has been adjusted. And considering that God normally has to hit me with a frying pan to get my attention, I'm glad it was the gentle reminder, via scripture, that got me back on track this time.
Even if this eyeball goes full out itchy and red tonight, I still have a lot to be grateful for.
*I totally heart Phineas and Ferb.
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