Something Better
For some crazy reason, my dog loves cotton swabs.
When one of us misses the garbage, and that fluffy-topped toothpick lies defenseless on the ground, our pooch's little ears perk up, and he instinctually bolts to find that special treat.
I don't know how he knows it's there, but he does.
I could write about our God-given senses of smell and intuition, but I'll leave that for another day.
Here's what I've noticed with our cotton-swab-loving canine over the years.
Panicking and trying to pry that slimy thing out of his mouth while screeching, "DROP IT," doesn't work.
In fact, my trying to force him to drop it actually causes him to lock his jaw tighter and hold onto that little thing as if his life depended on it.
The more I try and get him to let it go, the more he focuses on it.
I know what's going to happen if he eats that thing. That's why I have a lifetime supply of carpet cleaner on hand.
After all these years, surely he must know too, but despite the PTSD of past gagging and grossness, his search for the dropped swab continues.
I am excited to share that we have found a solution for our cotton-topped-stick-stealing scoundrel.
The distraction of something better.
When our doggie clenches onto what I know will hurt him, I lure him away with one of his favorite treats.
Boom, he drops that little slime stick without delay as I praise him and tell him what a good boy he is.
I was thinking about how God needs to do that with me sometimes.
I notice that when a problem arises around me, I can become laser-focused on it, unable to see anything else but that slimey situation.
Like my dog with that swab, my ears perk up, and my senses engage as I bolt to solve that problem.
I try to drop it and give it to God, but my controlling nature makes my jaw lock and hold onto that thing as if my life depended on it.
I overthink, overfocus, and ruminate on the issue, often unable to think of anything else.
That is, until God distracts me with something better.
God has been training me (life long learner up in here) to understand that when I lock in on my problems, I am locking him out in the process.
Peace comes when I release my grip on the problem and trust in God's something better.
God has to remind me over and over to keep my eyes on Him.
God has to remind me to look back at my life and see all the ways He stepped in and fixed things for the better.
God has to remind me that I am safe despite the discomfort and issues around me.
God has to remind me that I am not Jesus Junior, and it is not my job to save everyone and fix problems that are not my responsibility to fix.
So, if you are a slimy cotton swab seeker and clencher like me, it's okay to release your grip.
Let God take it from you and allow Him to give you something better.
You can do this!
I'm so proud of you! Good job!
God has found you, and He is never, EVER going to let you go.
Philippians 4: 6-7
Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
Exodus 14:14
The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.
Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
Romans 8:28
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.