Pam Padgett, member of the body of Christ
Recently my dentist removed a dental bridge in my mouth and found that one of the supporting teeth was very decayed and needed to be extracted. He went over 2 options to be considered for restoration after the extraction. One option was to put another, longer, bridge in place which would impact yet another tooth, and the other was a tooth implant. He felt a tooth implant was probably best in my case, but I quickly told him I wasn't at all sure about an implant. He told me he has an implant and is very happy with it, but this didn't change my thinking.
Later I talked with God about an implant, reviewing what I knew about them. About 30 years ago I was referred to an implant specialist to see about filling in a place where I had never had a tooth. He determined there wasn't enough bone for an implant in that place and explained why this was important. I was shocked that they would have embedded an implant in my jawbone (which sounded awful to me at the time), and I was very glad this wasn't possible in my case.
Then about 15 years later, my manager at work had an implant done and it failed. They had to take it out and go another way and it seemed that he was away from work quite a lot as he went through all of this. Again, I was so glad I hadn't been able to have an implant years before.
Because of these things, I felt very negative about dental implants, and I'm sure I never talked with God about this.
But while talking with God about implants now, I told HIM that if it was best for me to have an implant, I'd be willing to do this but HE would need to give me something strong to show me.
After this, I recalled what the dentist had said about his own implant. It was as though this put a "dent" in my negative thinking about implants, but wasn't strong enough to overcome the blockage that had developed.
Before going to see the oral surgeon the following week, I prayed asking God to lead me in what to say and also to give the surgeon wisdom. During the appointment, I was told I am a good candidate to have an implant to replace the tooth needing to be extracted at this time. I really didn't want to hear this, but the surgeon went on talking about an implant vs. a bridge. Finally, I told her I had fears about an implant. She pulled her chair next to where I was sitting and said "OK. Let's talk." She very patiently listened to me and addressed each concern. It was as if what she said chipped away quite a bit at the blockage ... but I wasn't yet free.
The next evening while talking with a neighbor I must have said something about an implant being recommended and she told me she knows several people who have had implants and none of them has had a problem. More chipping away at the blockage.
The next day I was talking with Sandra Chupik in our little church group and she mentioned she has an implant and has been very happy with it. She also told me the husband of another church member has an implant and she thought he was happy with it.
As Sandra told me these things, I began laughing, for
I realized that since having said to God that I would be willing to
have an implant but that HE would have to strongly show me, I have heard
nothing but very positive things about implants and from several different people.
It's as though that blockage I had in my thinking kept getting chipped away. I can now see that it may well be better for me to have an implant rather than another bridge, and I'm no longer at all negative about an implant. Quite surprising to me, I'm starting to look forward to moving ahead with an implant rather than getting another bridge!
In 2 Corinthians 10 we're told about pulling down of strong holds through weapons given us by God. I haven't thought of a strong hold being something like what I've been dealing with in this with this dental problem, but I do believe God has been bringing about what has chipped away at this blockage and frees me to go another way.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
In addition to getting me free in this matter, this experience also encourages me that whatever blockages or strong holds we have, God is able to get us free.
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