It was like Bee had woken one day and decided that she was going to be an empowered woman. She was not going to tolerate being pushed around by Carl or any other dog that came to the house. Every chance she thought she could take control, she did.
Instead of the docile dog that we had been accustomed to getting to know, Bee has now taken a more aggressive stance. This is clear when she sits with her head held high and stiffens her body right in front of the door waiting for Carl to even dare make his way past her.
How often do we stiffen up when we are faced with situations that we don’t know how to handle? I know for me, I don’t like being placed in an uncomfortable situation where I don’t feel like I have control. Particularly since getting older, I can rationalize ways to avoid the very situations that God may want me to be in.
A couple of years ago, I was under investigation by the school system that I worked in. Talk about an uncomfortable situation. Not knowing what my crime was, I literally had no control over my fate. How could I defend myself when I had no idea why I was being investigated?
I felt like there had been a major injustice brought against me and I had no way to rise above it. So why did God allow these circumstances to happen in my life? I will probably never really know until I meet my Maker but I can tell you what I learned from it.
When I was down, with my head bowed and heart wide open, God’s presence was more real to me than at any other time of my life. I felt like I had to hold tightly onto my relationship with God. I was determined that I was not going to become bitter but better!
“Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him.
Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!”
Psalm 32:10-11.
I wish I could convince my dog Bee that life is much better with her head held down to God and not held high. But given that she is a dog, only time and experiences will help change her stance. As for me, I hope that all the bumps that appear in my journey will serve as times to pause and remember the love that surrounds me.