Life on A Leash..Part Two

Life On a Leash

Part Two

One other thing that stood out to me as I spent this time with my sister’s dog was a trick that she had begun to teach her.  Abby is a mix between a Rottweiler and a Labrador retriever.  She is definitely a huge dog but she is also hyper and very loving.   Michele is teaching Abby to restrain her desires by waiting for the go ahead.  The whole purpose Michele says is to train Abby to realize who is providing the treat to start with.  She takes out an animal cracker, holds it in her hand right in front of Abby and says “leave it”.  Abby gets a little frustrated at first wanting to quickly grab the treat right in front of her but just when Abby stops and waits, turning her head to the side Michele gives her the treat.  She said that eventually you can put the treat on the tip of her nose and say “leave it” and she will not eat it until you give the go ahead.  I will be so amazed when I see Abby get to that point.  The reality though is that she may not ever.  Most of us in our lives don’t ever get to that point either.  We think we have found the gift.  We think we have accomplished the great task or attained it ourselves because we don’t wait in faith and trust to hear the go ahead.  We go after what we want, pursuing it with all the energy within us. We fail to see the hand of the one who provided it.

I know if my life, God is “training” me to know his commands and seek him first.  He withholds things I want and that are right in front of me for his purposes and glory.  He is saying to me, “Laura, this is something that I am giving you and providing for you.  When you are ready to acknowledge that and acknowledge that my go ahead is what you need, then you can have it.”

Do you wonder, “where is the independence and freedom in that?”  The answer is this, when you look at a well trained athlete, you see what they are capable of.  You see there strength, their ability and the beauty of who they are. You don’t always see the image of all they went through to get there. It took this same type of discipline and lack of “freedom” to develop the strengths that allow them to perform and succeed.  Our lives are no different.  God doesn’t desire to control us and put us under his thumb any more than I want to control Abby or be mean to her.  I enjoy my time with her, but our walks have a purpose, like my walk with God.  I desire with my whole heart to be powerful and effective for Him.  I need for Him to be able to make a difference in me, and through me.  Learning to feel his restraint and listen for his “go ahead” is crucial for me to get to that place.  Abby has helped me see that. 

Lessons learned and written by:

Laura D. Menefee