How to Trust God: 4 Lessons From My Dog

“Keep Your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression.” (Psalm 19:13 NIV)

My dog Mizuno has a love-hate relationship with the leash. He loves the leash because it means he’s going somewhere, hopefully for a run and not to the vet. He hates the leash because it keeps his seventy-pound body in check. It means no chasing cats, dogs, or squirrels, short potty breaks, and the sidewalk instead of the street.

Spiritually, I’m a lot like Mizuno. As I grow in my relationship with God, His love is like Mizuno’s leash. It takes me new places. It lets me run in safety. It also keeps me in check. Here’s some lessons in how to trust God from Mizuno.

Lesson 1: Don’t Chase Things, Chase Him

Like Mizuno, I don’t know that thing is a skunk. It looks cute and furry, and I want to chase it. Or those big shiny things with wheels. They can take me places or run me over if I don’t heed the leash. God knows the differences and the dangers. He tells me to chase Him, and He’ll keep me out of traffic and away from the skunks.

Lesson 2: Stop Marking Your Territory

Mizuno would mark every tree in Tarrant County. I want to leave my mark too, but God reminds me, life is not about me. If I make any mark on this world, I want it to be through God’s hand and for His glory. Selfish ambition stinks.

Lesson 3: Keep Moving

Mizuno gets lost in a smell. More than once, he’s come to a dead stop while I bit the dust at his unexpected change in direction. I’m tempted to linger in some places too. I forget the mission. The pull of the leash gets me back on track.

Lesson 4: Check the Attitude 

My attitude can mirror Mizuno’s too, especially when he doesn’t like a command. Mizuno begs at the table. I hate that. It’s not like he hasn’t eaten. He just wants mine too, so I make him lie down. He grumbles all the way to the floor, swearing under his breath in doggy talk. It cracks me up, but when I look in the mirror, it’s not so cute. More so because God has provided well beyond my needs, and still, sometimes I grumble.

It comes down to trusting the One who holds the leash. God is sovereign and we are not. He is in charge. The weight of the world is on His shoulders, not ours.

And this is good.

Be grateful for the leash of His love and trust the One who holds it.

Questions:

What behaviors does God check?

What things are you tempted to chase?

Do you grumble under your breath even as you obey?

If you have kids, how do they handle the leash?

Tweetables:

God's love is like my dog Mizuno’s leash. It takes me new places. It lets me run in safety. It also keeps me in check. Click To Tweet
Selfish ambition stinks. Click To Tweet
Mizuno gets lost in a smell. I’m tempted to linger in some places too. The pull of the leash gets me back on track. Click To Tweet
Mizuno grumbles when he does't like what I want. It cracks me up, but when I look in the mirror, it’s not so cute. Click To Tweet
Be grateful for the leash of His love and trust the One who holds it. Click To Tweet

Leave a Comment





Join Gayle

Subscribe to get my latest content by email.

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.

Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again.

Recent Posts