So I was lying in the dentist’s chair, looking at the photo on the ceiling (it’s of someone in a powered parachute flying over the sea next to some cliffs) and trying not to pay too much attention to what the dentist was doing. She was working on the scaffolding that I have attached to my teeth in order to try to get them to go back to the state of order in which God intended them to live in my mouth (rather than the random order they were working towards). This is not (I add defensively) because of personal vanity but because in their disorganised state some of my teeth were cutting into my tongue).

I sensed the dentist was nearing the end of the process for that day and started to relax.

And that’s when it happened.

Before I knew it she had looped two elastic bands over my mouth scaffolding: linking the upper teeth to the lower ones. I was completely unprepared for it as she had not warned me that this would be part of the process of giving me a smile that looked normal.

I really dislike them. No, I mean really dislike them. They make my jaw muscles ache because every time I open my mouth the elastic bands are under tension and are pulling my jaws back together. They inhibit my speech, making it more difficult for me to pronounce certain words. They rub against my cheek, meaning that talking is sometimes painful. They look horrible. And when, occasionally, one of them snaps inside my mouth it’s like a small bee has stung the inside of my cheek!

For a while I stopped wearing them during the day and only wore them at night. But the next time I saw my dentist she told me that this was not a good idea. The elastic bands are supposed to be easing some of my teeth downwards so that they are the right length. And if I don’t have them on for most of the time the teeth settle back into their old ways during the time when they are not under tension.

So, VERY reluctantly, I have been wearing the elastic bands.

At this point I hope that, at the very least, you might be feeling a tiny amount of sympathy for me, dear bloggist. However I suspect some of you are thinking, “Oh, boohoo you crybaby. Pull yourself together you wuss, there are people enduring far more painful and life-threatening experiences than you are with your teeth.”

And I would have a lot of sympathy for that view. I know I am being pathetic. I know that I am not being rational about this. I know that this is temporary. I know that it’s for my benefit in the long term. I know that in the grand scale of things this is tiny.

I know all of that.

But I still really resent having the elastic bands on my teeth.

Very few people actually like the discipline of something that is difficult, painful or unwelcome even if we know that it will have long term benefits:

A student who struggles with a particular subject may well resent extra lessons that will help them.

A person riding a bicycle up a steep hill may labour with the effort it takes even though they need to get to the top and the exercise will be doing them some good.

Many people resent paying taxes even though we know that they pay for many of the services upon which we rely and from which we benefit (health, transport, defence, and so on).

And for some reason many followers of Jesus seem to put spending time reading their Bibles and praying in the same category. Or if we don’t consciously do so we behave as if we do. We can struggle, we can labour, we can perhaps even resent it. Even though we know that these things will help us to grow closer to God, help us deepen our relationship with Jesus and enable us to experience his Spirit more easily we don’t do them. A survey in 2012 in USA found that only 19% of churchgoers read the Bible every day. Another survey in 2014 found that only 68% of American Christians pray every day. I suspect that these figures will be much lower in the UK.

For some reason we see these things as disciplines for Christians to struggle with not privileges for disciples. We see them as a chore! But discipline and disciple have the same root! The student who perseveres with extra study will gain the benefit of a better understanding. The cyclist we perseveres with riding to the top of the hill will get to their destination and be fitter. The taxpayer improves their society and gains the benefit of paying their taxes when they visit the doctor, drive their car and live in a free country.

The follower of Jesus who spends quality time in prayer and reading their Bible will find that their understanding of God will increase, their awareness of his presence will be enhanced and their walk with him will get easier. There are lots of things that can help you – apps for your phone, websites, books, people… even blogs!

If you doubt me why not try it and prove me wrong!

And at least they won’t twang back and hurt you.

Be blessed, be a blessing.