life lessons from a brier patch.

It's funny how sometimes things just "click."

I was moments ago sitting on the cold tile floor of my bathroom, stressed, exhausted, and near ready to burst into tears from frustration and lack of patience. All I wanted to do was get to church on time, and instead, here I was... with a tired soul and sore knees. Perhaps I should explain further...

I woke up tired, but ready to set my feet on solid ground. As usual, I was urged out of my bed by an anxious dog that was eager to go outside for the morning. I wandered through the house to the back door, leaned out, and attached my eager pup to the cable that keeps her near the house. This being done, I now had several tasks to accomplish in preparation for the day before I left for church.

I realize there are times in life where we just need to be slapped in the face. There are too many issues that I just let slip on by, perhaps riding a fence of sorts, to see what I can get away with before getting hurt. Kind of like a young child who is just going to keep on bugging their younger sibling to see how far they can push before the other starts crying or mom happens to notice. We look out of the corner of our eye but take a sly step forward.

I went back out to bring Sadie into the house while I finished getting ready. I topped off her bowl with some food, then went to the door. I noticed the cable wasn't moving and looked around slightly to figure out where she was. Following the cable with my eyes, it was obvious that she was no longer on the other end. Without panicking and with a quick whistle, thankfully she came obediently (and joyously) running back to the porch to greet me. I could tell she had been digging and now realized I would have to wash off her feet and mouth before I went on with my day.

Little did I know... her underbelly and paws were completely covered with thorny briers and other miscellaneous prickly plants. Ugh. These plants were so entangled in her hair that most of it had to be cut away. And this ended up taking me over an hour. So much for making it to church on time.

I'm sure Sadie was as ecstatic as a dog could be as soon as she realized that her cable broke and she was able to run free. I think we all enjoy freedom in life at its initial introduction. But we are oftentimes not aware of its consequences. Of course, as her owner, I was able to painstakingly take the time and effort to correct the results of Sadie running through the briers (wherever those are, I have yet to know), and because of this, she did not have to go on with prickly plants digging into her skin or making her life even more uncomfortable.

But what of myself? (This is when it all just "clicked" for me.) Is that the same role that my Heavenly Father plays in my life every time I mess up or enjoy rebellious freedoms without taking a pause to meditate on the consequences? Perhaps my Father works in different ways during different times in my life. I can only wonder if there are times where He will see me live in rebellion and let the briers settle in so that I might feel the pain and discomfort of those actions. But I would like to believe that there are also times where He will sit down on a cold tiled bathroom floor with me to immediately cut away at those briers in which I have found myself so entangled... and yes, there are other tasks He has that He could work on, and yes, it is my own fault that this happened... yes, I had to get to church and yes, I was frustrated... but I love my Sadie.

And at the moment, her comfort was worth my frustration.

I have to wonder if this is the same thing that goes through my God’s mind. Maybe He just wants to sit down with me and take the time to pull each and every brier out just so that He can spend time with me... so that I might realize He is all I need.

Of course, I had already turned on my playlist of favorite worship music for the morning before I found Sadie covered with briers, which was still playing while I was kneeling on the bathroom floor so that I heard these words..."

There is no one like our God... there is no one like our God.
For greater things have yet to come...
And greater things are still to be done in this city.
You're the light of the darkness... the hope to the hopeless..." 

continued with these powerful words...

"Lord, You are gracious...
You are slow to anger...
abounding in love, You are...
good to all."

and followed by this lyrical prayer..."

...should i stumble again, until I'm caught in Your grace...
Your Will above all else, my purpose remains.
The art of losing myself in bringing You praise.
My heart and my soul... I give You control.
CONSUME ME FROM THE INSIDE OUT, LORD.”

From the inside out... Lord, my soul cries out.