God's Will

I wanted to share with you some thoughts I had regarding following God's direction for our paths, rather than stubbornly trying to forge our own path.

My wonderful dog Max died this past year of a heart attack. He was 13 and a half, an old age for a big coonhound. He was a  delightful (though exhausting!) dog, and I miss him greatly. For most of his life, he was extremely active, into everything, and yes- very, very stubborn!

A few years ago, I wrote my reflections on God's will as it related to my dog Max. I'd like to share with you what I realized while walking my dog:

I wanted to take my dog Max to a lovely park near my home where he could run and play.
However, first we had to get there. And wasn't that a challenge!
 
I knew exactly where we should go,and I knew how much fun Max would have once we got there.
 But Max, who had no idea where we going, was determined to head in whatever direction caught his interest.

He'd sniff the air and want to walk down the wrong street to follow a scent.
He'd waste precious time sniffing the ground (when I wanted us to arrive at the park quickly in order to make the most of the daylight).

Then he'd decide he wanted to run and try to pull me along, when I only wanted him to walk so that once he got to the park he'd have plenty of energy to run in the ample space provided.

I said to Max (yes, I do talk to my dog, and yes, I'm aware that he has absolutely no idea what I'm saying to him). However, perhaps to alleviate my own frustration, I said to him, "Max, I want to take you to the park, and I know you're going to love it, it will be so much more fun than what you're trying to do, so please listen to me and come on!"

Which, of course, he didn't. Because he's a dog.

But, as I walked, I thought- how different am I from this dog, really?

Aren't we all on a walk?

God knows where we are meant to arrive at the end of our walk, and He is trying desperately to lead us there.
Yet we, as humans, who cannot see the end result, only see what is around us, becoming distracted.
We want to go down side-streets that seem attractive, but won't ultimately get us to our destination God wanted us to come to.

How frustrated God sometimes must be that He gave us free will: He KNOWS the path that would be best for us, and He tries to lead us in the way, yet we headbutt Him at every turn, insistent that OUR way is best.

Yet, how wonderful that He did give us free will!
God knows that love is not love unless it is freely given.
How could we TRULY love God if God had programmed us to do so?  Imagine how God and all of heaven must rejoice when we TRULY  love Him: when we WANT to follow Him, CHOOSE to follow Him, and strive to become closer to Him!

          Trust in the Lord with all thine heart;

and lean not unto thine own understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge Him,

and He shall direct thy paths.

-Proverbs 3:5-6