My sister is an equestrian and a pretty good one at that. She is a “horse whisperer”. After an equestrian event, another contestant was very frustrated with her very stubborn horse that refused to walk onto the horse trailer. My sister asked if she could give it a try, she led the horse back and forth multiple times perpendicular to the rear ramp of the trailer. Eventually she gained the horse’s trust and without a fuss, the horse followed her up the ramp and into the trailer. (photo:thesprucepets.com)
So it shouldn’t surprise you my sister has an amazing connection with horses, especially her own horses. When riding she uses just the slightest directives to guide her horse into the movement of her choice. Whether it is a click of her tongue, or a slight squeeze with one of her knees, or a soft correction on the reins, the horse immediately knows the direction and/or speed of my sister’s objective. Her horses are so perceptive to her directives she can ride them without a bit in their mouth. Why, do 1,100-pound animals allow a 110 lb. woman to guide them? Because she has earned their trust and confidence. They surrendered their will to her.
My sister’s horses are very healthy looking animals. They are living the best life a horse could desire. They want for nothing compared to the wild horses on Cumberland Island National Park in Georgia.
Upon visiting there, I noticed the wild horses did not seem to fair as well as my sister’s horses. Of course they had complete freedom, and answered to no one, but none of them looked strong and healthy. In fact, some appeared malnourished and sickly.
Why is it so easy for relatively dumb animals to submit their will to a human and yet it is so hard for humans to submit their will to a loving God? Unfortunately, most Christians are more like stubborn horses. Most people would say they love God and they trust God. But do they really love and trust God enough to have confidence in Him to the point they will surrender their will to Him?
This world would argue it is unnecessary to surrender your will to God. Who needs God when you have self-help books? Millions of dollars are made publishing self-help books on how to be happy, successful and wealthy in this world.
Here are just a few:
> “How to win friends and influence people” by Dale Carnegie
> “Think and grow rich” by Napoleon Hill
> “The 7 habits of highly effective people” by Stephen Covey
These authors all became very wealthy writing advice on how to have a better life. The irony is that you will find many of their recommendations from chapters in the Bible.
And how about the countless songs like:
> “We are the champions” by Queen
> “Don’t stop believin” by Journey
> “I did it my way” by Paul Anka (sung by Frank Sinatra)
From birth we have been subject to two competing forces. The forces of light and the forces of darkness. So it is no wonder that this world wants us to focus on ourselves, away from God’s light. This world at the very least wants to relegate God to a distant deity, if not get you to forget Him altogether.
If God becomes meaningless or some distant deity, you are left stumbling in the darkness of this world that always ends in death. It’s true that we all will die a physical death. But refusing to be led by God’s Holy Spirit and becoming the person He created you to be; that’s another whole kind of death. By the way, where do you want to spend eternity when you leave your body?
There are a lot of people who call themselves Christians who are excited about Jesus Christ. Being excited about Jesus Christ is the easy part, the hard part is surrendering to Him.
When you recite the Lord’s Prayer and you say the words “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” do you really mean it? Do you want God’s will for you or do you want God’s will for you to match your will for you? That’s where the rubber really meets the road, doesn’t it?
How many people want God’s will for them as long as it includes a really nice house, a boat, a lucrative career that allows them time to enjoy lavish vacations; and all that with no struggles in their life?
Have you met a person who is not physically well? They only care about one thing, being healthy again. No one cares about material things when they are in a lot of physical pain. If there is something physically wrong, your body lets you know it in a New York minute. Unfortunately, we are not as in tune to our spiritual health and for some poor souls, they don’t even think about it until they are on their death beds or worse, not at all.
Once you are in a relationship with the Lord, you have His Holy Spirit to nudge you into the direction of His will for you. Nothing can be more joyful than to become the person God created you to be. How do we become the being God created us to be? With the gentle course corrections of the Holy Spirit. If you are feeling condemnation, it is not the Holy Spirit. He will convict you but never condemn you.
My sister’s horses are very fortunate. They did not have the luxury to choose their owner and could have ended up like the wild horses on Cumberland Island, or worse.
Humans on the other hand do have a choice. Our creator gave us free will. For those who choose their own path, they will never become the beings God created them to be and perhaps that’s their choice.
Although believers are given free will, we chose to submit our will to God’s will. We place all of our trust and confidence in Him. We accept and receive that His Son Jesus’ work on the cross purchased our salvation. We welcome His Holy Spirit who takes the reins and guides our lives with subtle nudges and corrections.
It’s your time to shine, turn towards God, be filled with His light and allow Him to guide you into becoming the amazing being he created you to be! – Amen
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