Pins in our Underwear

A counselor friend of mine likes to say that we all have pins in our underwear. By that I think he means that we're all human, and that we all have human stuff that sticks us and pokes us and hurts us from time to time. In fact, being human is to have pins in our underwear.

I've been dealing with at least one of those pins--anxiety--on and off for years. For the most part, the sticking and poking of anxiety doesn't affect me, but when it does--ouch! It's no fun!

We all have those pins, even practically perfect first-born pastors! It may be an emotional pin, an illness pin, a dysfunctional relationship pin, an addiction pin, a moral failure pin, etc. Some of those pins can be a bit embarrassing and shameful, but they are all painful.

It's those pins that make grace so important. Sometimes God comes to us and actually removes the pins. He does that through prayer, through the medical profession, through counselors, etc. All healing comes from God regardless of how it happens. Sometimes it takes years for the pin to be removed. Sometimes, mysteriously, the pin remains (Paul's thorn in the flesh) but God's grace carries us through.

The point for me is this: We all walk a bit funny because of those pins in our underwear. And in the end (no pun intended) there's nothing wrong with having those pins. It's human. The good news is that God, through Jesus, walks alongside of us, using his grace to help us deal with those pins. Though we may walk a bit funny, Jesus loves us anyway and uses his grace to bring healing and wholeness.

A big thanks to all of you for your support during this pin-time in my life. I've actually had a good week. I'll fill in some of the blanks in the next few days. In the meantime, I need to quit sitting. I have a pin sticking in my...