Thoughts On Slivers…

Look closely. Right there at the end of my tweezers.  Do you see it? How on earth can something so small be such a HUGE problem?

This sliver lodged itself in my finger when I picked up a broken basket.  I didn’t even know it was there . . . initially.  But after a day or two, it made itself known to me with a dull throbbing at my fingertip.  I just assumed I’d bumped my finger and went about my day. 

By the third day, my finger was sore to the touch and a tender red spot had formed where the sliver was lodged.  I got out my tweezers and went to work.  But I had a problem. The sliver was in a finger on my right hand. I am right handed. Have you ever attempted to get a sliver out using only one hand – and your non-dominant hand at that?  It was pathetic. I gave up.

By the fourth day I couldn’t stand the pain any longer.  So I sat on the edge of my tub - determined to get the job done -  and began poking, prodding and tweezing through the pain.

After a half hour, I finally got the sliver out.  With its removal came instant relief and joy!  I looked at the offending piece of wood.  It was tiny. I was amazed at my body’s ability to detect a change and continue to remind me it was there until I did something about it. Goodbye and good riddance sliver!

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Get ready. Here comes the analogy.

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A little over a month ago a thought randomly crossed my mind. I pretty much passed it off as nothing and moved on with the business of life.

Only two days later, I had the same thought, but in a very different way.  I would go so far as to call it a very strong feeling or prompting. I was being told that there was something that needed to be done. And to be clear, I was being told by God. 

So I tried to do what needed being done.  And I was shut down. Despite efforts on my part, the choices of others assured me it would not be happening.  It was painful for me.

Over the course of the month, the little thought that had come to my mind grew.  I was reminded of it in multiple dreams.  I thought about it when I was standing at the sink doing the dishes. It consumed much of my mind until I could not take it any more.

So I got down on my knees and I prayed earnestly for it to happen. Then I did things in my power that would help it to happen.  And I am so grateful that today I can say relief has finally come. 

I have learned from this experience that in life we have slivers.  Things that we need to do.  Fences we need to mend.  Wrongs we need to right.  Action we need to take. People we need to help.  We have a loving Heavenly Father will put into our minds a tiny thought or idea, which he will let grow until we are willing to do something about it. Sometimes the process may be painful.  It may take time. But I know that when we do what He needs us to do, we will find relief and we will experience joy.

Do you have a sliver that needs taking care of? Take a minute today to evaluate your life, your relationships, your actions. Trust me – you won’t regret it. Because things that are small can become HUGE.