Pulling Against the Leash
/I took Trixie for a walk this evening. She loves to walk, but hates the leash. She runs, pulls, wanders, and just absolutely makes a nuisance of herself. She pulls so hard she chokes herself. So she tugs along, making a choking sound like I’ve fed her a fish bone, and she’s hacking it up. Sorry for the graphic visual, but that’s the way she sounds. I’m sure my neighborhood thinks I’m a dog abuser...
i have walked this dog for almost three solid years. She has always resisted the leash. She has gotten a little better, but it’s still a problem, especially when we’re going downhill. When we head downhill, that’s her cue to start running. Well, I just don’t move as quickly as I used to, so it’s like a mouse dragging a sloth behind it. Not a pretty sight.
So...here’s another case in point that literally just happened when I let Trixie out to go do what doggies do at 10:00 at night...The little scoundrel immediately started barking nonstop. I couldn’t get her back inside the house! I had to put on my ugly fake Crocs, holler really loudly (and I’m sure the entire neighborhood heard me. I actually tried to disguise my voice just in case anyone reported it), and chase her back inside! I said, “Bad dog! bad, bad dog!” Now she’s lying beside me on the couch looking at me like I shot her firstborn puppy....
As as I walked Trixie, I felt like I was herding cats. I’ve never herded a cat, and not sure I want to. They are wily creaturea and they scratch. I can imagine God must feel like that with us. I can imagine Him scratching His head at our recalcitrant hearts. How much do we bark and how much do we pull? Do we mumble and complain when things don’t go our way, or we think God isn’t answering our prayers quickly enough? This is just as bad as pulling against God’s guidance. Don’t get me wrong, it’s ok to complain TO God, as long as we’re not complaining ABOUT God. And as for running away from God, well, I could write a book on that subject...
How much do we resist the leash? Do we accept constructive criticism or do we balk? It’s easier to balk, isn’t it? No one likes to be corrected, even if it’s in a loving manner. We feel entitled to do it our way, and the media helps us right along with that. Sometimes we know we’re going the wrong way and we have trouble turning around. We pull against God’s guiding hand. If we just relax, stop pulling so hard and let God guide us, we would see a much greater victory in our lives. We kick against God’s graciousness. I think it’s because we all have a bit of a headstrong attitude when it comes to our own lives. We feel entitled to guide ourselves because we get complacent and we get busy, two things that never bode well for anyone. Busyness keeps us from spending time with God and complacency makes us not want to do so. The slope is a slippery one, Friends.
I am thankful for my dog. Despite her disobedience, I love her very much. She’s a pretty good little girl, despite the leash pulling and standing in the yard, looking at me blankly when I call her name. In many other ways, she tries to obey. She sits and stays. She gets off the bed when I tell her. She goes to bed when I command it. And she gets in her kennel when I ask, even though I don’t even have it out much anymore. These things, she does, and does rather well, actually. She can easily be forgiven for pulling the leash and running from me. We have all done the same to God at one time or another. Running and pulling are part of our human nature. But God still thinks we are wonderful and lovable. He always will. Why? Because He created us humans to BE human, with our messes, mindsets, and marvels. And He loves us in spite of ourselves.
#lifecoachingforwomen
#lifecoachingforwidows
#lifecoachingworks
#ninjalifecoaching
#princesstrixiebelle
Me and the Princess
