I never thought much about the pest control industry—until that Saturday. As we prayer-walked the neighborhood adjacent to our church, I found myself chuckling at how many residents apparently worked for pest control companies. I began noticing and counting the trucks parked in driveways: Truly Nolen, Northwest, Greenshield, Responsible, Action, Western, Aptive, SOS. Eight pest control companies represented in a single neighborhood.
There are more than 34,000 pest control businesses in the United States employing over 167,000 specialists. Together, they generate upwards of $22 billion in annual revenue, and the industry is projected to grow steadily at a 5.7% rate annually.
It makes sense that bugs are good business, doesn’t it? Who wants more bugs in their life? Who isn’t annoyed when bugs encroach on your territory? Recently, we were talking to our son, Soren, about the expenses he’ll face when he moves out. As we reviewed our household budget with him, he questioned several line items in our spreadsheet, but not pest control. Everyone knows you don’t mess around with termites, scorpions, and mice.
The day after our neighborhood prayer walk, I was praying with someone at church who had finally come forward after battling addiction alone for years. “Would you pray for me? I know that I have a problem with alcohol, and I want God to break the chains of my addiction.” We talked more. He had been trapped in alcoholism for over a decade. I felt encouraged and so proud of him for recognizing his need in humility and courageously asking for prayer. But when I encouraged him to take the next steps: to attend Celebrate Recovery and meet with a counselor, he balked. “I might need that down the road, but I feel that your prayers helped. I think I’m okay.”
I continue to pray for him, trusting that by God’s grace and power, he can experience true freedom by breaking the stronghold of this addiction. But I am concerned he may have misjudged how much help he really needs.
When you have a rat infestation, you call for help. You don’t hesitate. You don’t try to handle it alone. And yet, when we are trapped in ongoing sin, weighed down by past wounds, or struggling in broken relationships, we often convince ourselves we can fix it on our own.
Scripture, particularly the book of Proverbs, warns us against this kind of self-reliance and urges us instead to seek wise counsel:
Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance. (Prov. 1:5)
Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. (Prov. 11:14)
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. (Prov 12:15)
Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise. (Prov 13:20)
Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed. (Prov 15:22)
Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. (Prov 27:17)
We live in a pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps culture. We hesitate to admit need because we fear how others might judge us. Yes, some may judge, but many will reflect the heart of God, showing compassion, patience, and mercy. Too often, we act as though we earn extra credit for overcoming struggles on our own. In doing so, we misunderstand grace and subtly begin to treat our growth, even our salvation, as something we accomplish ourselves. We fear that exposing our weakness will compound our shame. But Paul calls us into the light, not deeper into hiding, “The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light” (Rom. 13:12). We have been “called out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9). Light up the dark corners of your heart to a leader or trustworthy believer: “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” (James 5:16)
The truth is that we all have a pest problem in our hearts. Sin, like an infestation, thrives in the dark and grows when left untreated. Just as we wouldn’t hesitate to call a professional for our homes, we shouldn’t hesitate to seek help for our souls. Let us not be afraid. If you can call a pest control company for your house, you can call a friend, pastor, or a biblical counselor for your heart.
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Photo by Nikoletta Bódis on Unsplash