Our relationship with God is very much like our relationship with dogs and how we begin to trust Him is very similar to how dogs begin to trust us.
If you’re like me, you’ve struggled with fear, no matter how big or small it may be. Fear creeps in and we let it take over. God has me in a season of learning persistence and what the foundation of trusting Him looks like.
Which can be so much harder than people make it out to be. At least it’s hard for me most days. I often spend time with Him in the morning but, somehow forget His promises throughout the day, when I have to trust Him. When I have to have active faith.
That’s when it’s the most difficult – when the “what ifs” start. My brain might as well be a pressure cooker in those times. And yet the Lord has shown me that His promises + the faithfulness of Jesus + making the choice to believe them is the combination that releases that pressure.
As I was studying this morning, God led me to a devotional about facing my fears and trusting Him. The foundation for it; was the story of Gideon. My first reaction was, “…really God? I’ve already read these, I know what they say.” And in His gentleness and patience He prompted me to “just read them again.” I met Him with a reluctant attitude and an eye roll but, I began to read. To my surprise, I started to slow down and smile as I came to read the simple but, profound statement in the devotional by Renee Swope, “…but I wasn’t relying on that power, not Gods Spirit in me…” and I paused as her words washed over me. I thought to myself, “this is what He means in 2 Timothy 1:7!” that “He does not give us a spirit of fear but, one of power, love, and a sound mind.” The same Spirit that belongs to Him, His Spirit, the One He sends to dwell within us. The Holy Spirit. And the One that I have not been relying on well in my fear.
My smile began to fade as the image of a terrified little brown and white puppy popped into my head. He was curled up in the back of a shelter kennel, covering his face with his paws, trying to make himself as small as possible. It was evident that he had experienced this cruel world at such a young age. My heart was broken. All I wanted to do was hold him, take him home, and shower him with love, letting him know that he would be okay with me. I decided to crouch down low, hold out my arms and speak to him gently to see if he would come out of his fear.
He did not.
Naturally, he only gave me a side eye, trying to make himself even smaller, invisible. He wanted to run from me because even though my heart was different, he didn’t know it personally. He only associated people with pain and I was no different to him despite my heart towards him. I knew that in order to help him make the choice to approach me, I would need to gain his trust, on his own time. I would need to be patient, kind, gentle, peaceful, loving, joyful, faithful, and have self-control in my pursuit (the fruits of the Spirit). Without them, I knew his fear would only grow and he would never want to know me.
I realized that even though I knew that I would give him the best life possible and I had plans to give him a hope and a future, he didn’t know that yet. Even though I was not the one to cause the cruelty that he had endured, he was afraid that it would happen again. I would have to show up for him and show him that even though cruelty exists, evil would no longer harm him with me.
In His still small voice, God let me know that I was that little puppy and He was me outside of that kennel. Everything that I felt and understood about that little puppy was exactly how He feels about us. I knew that as I had met that little puppy where he was at, in the midst of his fear, knowing the time, dedication, willingness, and patience that it would take to build the foundation for him to begin to trust me, I had just met the heart of God.
I was… dumbfounded. I had never seen God through that perspective and I was so thankful that He showed me.
What a beautiful, beautiful heart God has for us.
When we trust the cruelty that we know, we freeze in fear, in the back of our kennels, and we’re unable to see the true nature of our God. The God who meets us where we’re at, consistently telling us that everything will be okay. Patiently waiting for us to want to get to know Him and run into His arms.
After awhile, we begin to learn that His arms are not reaching out to trap us and throw us to the wolves but, to scoop us up and envelop us in His love.
I’ve realized that worry and fear are comforting for us and frankly, just easier. It’s easier to give in to them because as soon as sin entered the world through flesh, it became a natural response. Choosing Gods promises takes active faith, it takes discipline, courage, self-control. It takes reliance and dependence on the Holy Spirit. It takes courage to turn to God and ask for help and it takes obedience to take our thoughts captive and command them to come under the obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). I get it. I’ve been there, for a long time now. In a world that promotes strong independence and one that says, “you got this,” well, it’s hard to believe that we don’t. The truth is that none of us got this, not without Jesus.
The beautiful thing about trusting God is that He’s always got this and He’s always got you.
No matter where you’re at in life or how difficult it may be for you to trust, take comfort in knowing that He’s patiently waiting for you to see Him through the wounds of His Son so, He can show you His heart for you in the midst of your own.
May Jesus fill you with His unending love today!
“By His stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5
XOXO,
T.S.
Meet Camper, Stevie, Rylie, and Oakley; the babies that God shows His abundant love through to us daily. 🤍