Several months ago, on a Saturday night, I went to see one of my favorite artists, Calvin Richardson, perform at a semi-local venue. I had seen him in concert before and on this particular night, like all the others, the concert was poppin’! Calvin surely did his thing!! When he sang one of my favorite songs…one that’s always on repeat, I felt, mission accomplished. The song, Can’t Let Go, was masterfully performed. The lyrics and the way he performed it, moving across the stage like butter gliding on a piece of corn-on-the-cob did it for me! I felt like a happy kid leaving a great day at the State Fair. Lol
There’s more…Before jumping on 95 South to head home, at 11:04 p.m., I slipped Calvin a quick DM on Instagram that read, “Like medicine! Great show!! Thanks!” Then to my wonderment, while driving down the highway, my song—the one that I couldn’t wait to see performed in person, my ‘medicine’ song, my “Can’t Let Go” came on the radio. And, wow, it was a ‘sho-nuff’ part II concert in my car! I was in my groove. I had another dose of medicine…
This is how God works with me…It’s now Sunday. I slept in and decided to get my car washed. Listening to the radio in route, a song popped up that I hadn’t heard before— A common thing when God is giving me a message, it seems. The song caught my attention immediately, as it was a song by BeBe Winans, whose voice is so uniquely smooth and attention-getting to me. Guess what it was titled? Yep…Laughter Just Like A Medicine. I smiled as I listened to this beautifully done, inspiring tune, and simply said to myself, “God, I hear you.”
Back at home, I YouTube’d the record to get a better listen to the song. Of course, being startled when initially hearing it earlier threw me off a little. I needed to hear it again. I needed to know why these dots were being connected for me. I needed to know why I chose those select words. I needed to know why they were dropped in my presence through song the very next day after casually writing them. I needed to know what God would have me to say, so I asked Him. I needed the information, and trusted His time in giving it to me clearly to convey via The Cherry Vine. His vision and His timing are too, “Just Like Medicine.” He’s giving me a 5:30’ish a.m. dosage today, and I couldn’t go back to sleep until I settled into the nudge to write.
It’s just like a medicine…Medicine is intended to soothe, to heal, to cure, to minimize pain, etc. Its purpose is to make us well, to feel better or even to live longer. One of its definitions on Dictionary.com is, “any substance or substances used in treating disease or illness; medicament; remedy. A second is, “the art or science of restoring or preserving health or due physical condition, as by means of drugs, surgical operations or appliances, or manipulations: often divided into medicine proper, surgery, and obstetrics.” There were a few more, but “it’s all the same gravy”, as they say.
There’s clarity…BeBe’s song was clear in musically communicating that laughter through life’s tough situations, only because of God’s presence on High, is just like medicine in every equate-worthy and relatable sense of the aforementioned definitions. The symmetry is easily flowing. It’s a no-brainer, if you are a believer! So, why am I given the task of sharing this? Well, seems to me that we position so many things in our life’s medicine cabinets to carry out the purpose of medicine. We have a cadre of things in the lineup to make us feel better–emotionally, spiritually, and physically, yet don’t promote growth or the greater good of our being. For example, alcohol, illegal (some now legal) drugs and prescription drugs serve this type of medicinal purpose. Then, there are things like excessive shopping, gambling and work, gossiping, taunting, bullying, etc. Let’s not forget the people factor—Some of us need relationships, whether inappropriate or just-because, to make us feel better about ourselves, providing some form of validation. If you’re thinking with me, I’m sure there are more— our alternative medicines.
When we truly self-search and try to understand and better ourselves, it becomes clear what we have used/are using “just like medicine(s)” to fill a void, to compensate for an emotional deficiency, self-imposed insecurities or those due to victimization, to give us spiritual resonance, to make us feel better, to help us to cope. As I type, I feel God, figuratively speaking, standing on my toes!! I am reflecting on and being convicted by my own practices of alternative medicine. Looking at the shoes and boots on shelves and on the floor in my closet is an immediate amazing “bingo” of shopping being medicine to my soul! Smh.
The message… The message is about looking to the wrong things to satisfy our soul’s sores, our emotional diagnoses or the lack thereof. It’s about recognizing that these fixes are temporary and don’t cure what’s really wrong with us. They are just band-aids, gauges or tunicates to give us short-term relief for long-term, deep-rooted issues. You can certainly dress a wound, but it’s still there until it heals from proper treatment. Even when it heals, oftentimes, a scar is left. So for any issue, hurt or wound, we should seek timely, appropriate and effective spiritual medical attention and treatment. If not, it can be okay for a while, but the symmetry of bandages drop off and the problem is still there. It’s now wrapped in the trimmings of what truly needs to be addressed, sorted through, and counseled, but first and foremost, sought out for Divine guidance for healing. That might mean change! That might mean that the real ‘us’ has to surface. It might mean that new levels of transparency are our friend. It might mean that we have to be ‘naked’ before God, in surrender, for Him to intervene in this area of our life. What it really means is that we are ready to be medicated with living life in terms of growth. It means accepting fault, flaws, and God’s will. Just like medicine, it will start the healing process for our heart and soothe our soul. And guess what? There’s an added bonus on the other side of this wonderful medicine…Peace! No price tag on that—Worth every penny!
So…..QOTD: What are we using “just like medicine?” Time for a medicine cabinet check. Mine needs cleaning out! 🙂
Topped off with…Two hours later, after writing the draft of this post, and during a prayer call, I look up and my eyes landed on the next day’s readings in the Daily Walk Bible for tomorrow, May 22nd. It reads, “THERE IS NO MEDICINE LIKE HOPE.” To God be the Glory! Affirmation! I’m grateful for this platform to share, to inspire, to learn, and to grow.
Peace & Blessings, Lisa B