Life Training

"He just doesn't get it! I tell him "NO" when he's chewing on electrical cords, or if he's peeing on the carpet!"

Yes this is an excerpt from yet another "Venting hour with Abbey." I suppose I should give you a bit of background before continuing.... About a week and a half ago my wonderful husband and I picked up a tiny Beagle puppy. I was SOOO excited! I've wanted a dog my whole life and was finally getting to have one. Now I knew it would be a lot of work and take lots of responsibility, but I was ready for that!... or so I thought. He really is a great dog, but I just can't seem to make him understand certain things.

"All the books I have read and the people I have talked to make it sound so easy! "Oh he'll figure out what no means pretty fast!" Ya right! He doesn't even jump or move when I shout no!"

As I was whinning and crying to my husband these words popped out of my mouth,

"If he just knew that me telling him no and taking away stuff he wanted to play with was for his benefit I'm sure he'd get it! If he just knew that I didn't let him chew on the electrical cords because they'd hurt him I'm sure he'd run straight into my arms!"

Suddenly I stopped talking, I heard the faintess voice saying, "Now you get it."

For years I have questioned God as to why He allows uncomfortable and even painful things into my life. Why doesn't He let me have the things I want?  I felt like bad things kept happening or doors kept closing and I just didn't know why! Life would be going great and then BAM! something bad happened! I never realized that maybe that was God's way of turning me around or getting me onto a different path. It wasn't always punishment but just a prodding.

I realize my puppy doesn't understand that cords are bad for him... just like I may not realize that what I'm doing is bad or throwing me off. But I still have to say "NO!" and pick him up and move him. He always looks at me with those sad eyes as if to say "Why did you ruin my play time? You make my life miserable!" But I tell him "Oh Copper, if you only knew the good things I have in store for you, you wouldn't want those dangerous cords!"

God is like that, He knows the plans He has for us. And those plans surpass anything we could ever imagine! Especially since the end result is eternal life with Him! He's just picking me up and setting me down away from the "cords" even if I don't like it.

Thankfully God does it completely out of love and He's fully just and doesn't punish us simply out of emotional anger and hurt... Sometimes I get a little angry at old Copper. I'm learning a lot about Grace and how amazing our God truly is. Funny how a puppy can show you all of this ;) God's knows how to make a lesson really stick. He knows us SO well and knows exactly how we'll react to situations. I guess that's why He's God, He knows the beginning and the end... and everything in between.

Love,
Abbey