Lifting My Eyes

You never know how God will speak to you. I am urging you all to never give up, never lose hope. God sometimes sends answers to prayer in most unexpected ways. I was walking my sweet Honeybun around the block, musing over troubling issues when I ran into Roxan, my wise friend who also owns a Carolina Dog. She told me about how her dog is slowly being transformed by a remarkable trainer. Her poor dog is gentle and obedient, but lives in constant fear of anything unfamiliar. Roxan said she found the issue overwhelming and she and the dog were in a constant state of tension. Since Roxan is a problem solver who likes to take action, she diligently worked to correct the problem, never losing sight of the issue, never letting up. The problem, if anything, got worse. Roxan explained that the trainer was teaching her to not think about the issue, but to focus on the moment, on the miniscule gains made in a calm, and stress-free environment. Expect and look for the tiniest steps of courage from the dog, and reward them lavishly. It would take a long time, but the trainer assured her that by "shaping" the dog's behavior in this way, ultimately she would learn to rely on herself and realign her fearful thoughts. For six weeks, Roxan saw little result...and then suddenly, her fearful dog began to do things she had never done before. Slowly, the dog began to make progress towards being the dog she was meant to be.

Two major lessons Roxan learned:
1. Change takes time. Be patient. If you don't think you are patient enough, change your self-defeating thoughts.
2. Notice the tiniest positives and reward them. They will grow.

This is not unlike the way God works in our lives. God always meets us where we are and never pushes us to become what we should be any faster than we are able. He sent Jesus to pay the penalty for our sin, and He sees it no more. God is an encourager and knows we can be better, and eternal blessing accompanies each tottering step we take in that direction. Little by little, if we don't lose heart, we are becoming more like Christ, which is the goal.

"I think I was sent to speak to you today," said Roxan, noticing my teary eyes.
I nodded and thanked her, my spirit infused with hope and joy at the way God used a dog to teach me exactly what I needed to hear that day.

************************

I will lift my eyes unto the hills, to where my help comes from. My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.
Psalm 121:1-2