Scratch an Itch

Scratch an Itch

Sometimes you just have to scratch an itch. In the moment, fingernails scraping across the skin brings immediate relief. The problem is the relief is temporary.

My desire to scratch an itch has literally skyrocketed. My stress level has been exceptionally high these past couple of weeks which has resulted in patches of eczema sprouting up on various parts of my body. The itch factor has been excruciating. I have pulled out all the salve, essential oil tricks in my bag. Relief is minimal, and scratching only makes it worse.

When we are stressed, uncomfortable, or in emotional pain, we want to soothe the suffering. We choose retail therapy, comfort foods, alcohol and the like in hopes of easing the pain. We quickly learn that the relief is temporary. Our choice for relief has negative consequences. We go into debt, gain weight, lose sleep, and can feel even worse.

Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
    don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
    he’s the one who will keep you on track.
Don’t assume that you know it all.
    Run to God! Run from evil!
Your body will glow with health,
    your very bones will vibrate with life! (Proverbs 3:5-7 MSG).

Running to God, listening to God will make our paths straight. His voice will guide. He has also given us self care practices that bring our bodies back to health. We look for the positive. We practice gratitude. We spend time in prayer. We exercise.

We have choices to make when life is hard. We can scratch the itch or run to God. I admit that I fight as long as I can and then sometimes I scratch. It’s not about perfection it’s about running to God.

Do you like to scratch the itch? Does it help? What helps you run to God? What helps you when life is challenging? Share your experience here and breathe life and bring hope to others.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.