On a trip to Hawaii, my dad got a brutal sunburn on his legs. This shouldn’t surprise anyone—he’s from the Northwest, and his legs are white as snow. Okay, whiter than snow.
Since it had been decades since his legs had seen the sun, the sunburn was bad. You know, bright red, hot to the touch, and painful with every step. That kind of bad.
Desperate for relief, he reached into the beach bag for the thick green aloe vera he had packed. Without hesitation, he poured the green liquid generously onto his legs, expecting that cool, soothing sensation.
Instead, the pain became excruciating.
As it turns out, he hadn’t grabbed the aloe at all. He had grabbed a bottle of green mouthwash. The thin liquid ran down his legs and filled his shoe. What was meant to bring healing only brought more pain.
It’s a hilarious story now. (Well, for me, it was hilarious then.) But there’s a spiritual lesson in there for all of us.
Sometimes we reach for the wrong things to heal our pain.
When we’re hurting—emotionally, spiritually, relationally—we instinctively look for relief. That’s human nature. But if we’re not careful, we can grab the wrong “bottle.”
We might turn to distractions, relationships, substances, success, or even a version of religion that lacks real relationship with God. They may look like healing on the outside, but they only intensify the pain when they hit the raw, real places in our hearts.
Proverbs 3:5–6 reminds us: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
God knows the where, what, and how of true healing. His Word, His presence, His people—these are the spiritual “aloe” that soothe the burns of life. But we must slow down, read the label, and trust Him enough to reach for the right thing.
Dad’s mix-up reminds us to double-check what’s in the bottle. But more importantly, it challenges us to consider where we’re looking for comfort in life.
Are you reaching for God—or grabbing whatever’s convenient?
You don’t pour mouthwash on a sunburn, and you don’t look to the world to heal what only God can.
Let God, the true Healer bring the peace you’re really searching for. “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3)
Think about it:
- When you’re hurting, what “quick fix” do you tend to reach for instead of turning to God?
- How can you be more intentional about seeking healing through God’s truth rather than relying on what just looks helpful on the surface?
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