Six years ago I made a decision that changed my life forever. I bought a Yorkiepoo puppy and named her Madelyn April. For the first few months I was up nights with her as she whimpered, took part in endless potty training and worked to teach her to play without biting. I remember sitting on the kitchen floor as she romped around wide-awake at 2 AM. I thought aloud, “When am I gonna love you? Right now I just want to send you back.” But it wasn’t long before I fell in love with the way she gazed at me, cuddled up when she was tired and jumped around happily when I came home. I quickly learned that I had one smart puppy on my hands. She only went potty in the house once and she NEVER chewed anything that wasn’t hers.
I am a worrier by nature. Everyone says I got it from my Grandma who watched me when I was little. I have battled the sin of worry as long as I can remember. One thing that amazed me about Maddie was her ability to trust. She would let me hold her in my arms like a baby. She would look up at me with total love and faith in her eyes. It was as if she was saying she knew I would never let anything happen to her. Did I deserve such unconditional trust? I was the one who wanted to send her back in the middle of the night. Would I be able to remember to feed her, take her to the vet regularly and protect her from cars and other animals? Would I want to take her for a walk after a long day at school? Would I be willing to get up out of a warm bed in February to let her out? I did not deserve her trust, and yet she gave it without a second thought. She knew I loved her and that was all that mattered.
I want to trust God the way Maddie trusts me. I want to give Him all my needs and concerns, and know He will take care of them according to His will…ahh…but that’s the hard part…What if His will is for me to get cancer or for a family member to die or to lose my job? I still battle this thought, but God has shown me through the worst things that have ever happened to me (those stories are for another day), that He can turn even the worst tragedy into a beautiful blessing that accomplishes His plan for my life. One of my favorite verses is Romans 8:28, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” God has proven this to me time and time again. Even when someone who is not a Christian does something terrible to one of God’s children, He is able to make circumstances fulfill His purpose. Isn’t that awesome?! Our enemies are powerless against Jesus! Just look at the crucifixion. God used enemies to fulfill His perfect purpose for Jesus’ life. The most terrifying injustice was turned into the biggest blessing mankind will ever know.
I don’t deserve the trust Maddie has in me, but God does. So I will cling to Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” What a promise!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment