If you’ve ever had braces, you know the pain that you have to endure in the hopes of improving your smile. If you have never been that kid, be thankful. You never had to have a mouth full of wires, wax and rubber bands. It sounds like a torture device and talk to anyone who has had or has them now and they will tell you about the days of sharp pain they endured. No one likes to revisit the painful places of there lives but the point here is when you are in the midst of a season that hurts, like braces, it feels like it’s the worst pain and might last forever. When the heart tightens up its like wires and rubber bands pulling and stretching us to our breaking point. Sometimes those braces get put on because of other people and sometimes we are the reasons they stay on longer then they should. I know I have been guilty of the latter more times then I care to admit. However, learning to lay things at God’s feet and pray for His will is the easiest way to explain how to deal in those moments but also the hardest thing you will do today. Waking up and making the choice to lay the burdens down at God’s feet is as much a trained behavior as it is learning how to dance or continuing a workout. It takes daily discipline in order to create good habits. You may have heard the saying “what God Brings you to, He brings you through” and that’s what you are facing in those moments when the braces are tight and painful but its in those moments God is building bridges to new areas of your life. You have had the strength to let these things go all along but for some reason you hold on to it. Whether it because you believe you can fix it yourself or can control that area of life. Maybe the worst is you hold on because you know the outcome may not be what you are hoping for. God’s plan for our life is laid out in Jeremiah 29:11-12 but not so clear that we know the conclusion of the pain we are facing. However, it’s a comforting verse that allows us to know that NO MATTER how bad these braces feel, the end result will always be a beautiful smile. Bridges & Braces Episode 2