Last night, a good friend and I went riding. It had rained the night before so many of the trails had water standing if left to their own horses usually will avoid at any cost and go around mud puddles. We came up to such a trail where there was a big puddle smack dab in the middle. There are a lot of times that I just let them go around. No biggie but this time I wanted to see if Fritz would walk through it. As he came up to it I centered him to the puddle and asked him to move forward. Nope… Swerve to the right, swerve to the left, turn around and back up. sounds like a line dance routine. I just wanted forward and through, but that button seemed broken. Because there was so much resistance, I knew this needed to be a teaching moment for him. I was explaining to my friend who was patiently waiting for me while we were struggling with this puddle that there are times when I will not want him to avoid it. If you have ever been on a trail ride before, and the path is narrow with trees on both sides and your horse swerves to avoid the puddle and about, takes your knee off from the tree, you will know the importance of this lesson! Sometimes it can be dangerous to avoid puddles. Anyways I kept Fritz’s face towards the puddle no matter where the rest of him went, which was anything but straightforward. I let him get annoyed and throw a temper tantrum as he was trying to get out of going through it.
I just stayed calm and kept reinforcing him for any try in the right direction, letting off the pressure whenever he took a step in the direction, I wanted him to go. (Selah… Pause and think about that) It took a bit of time and being consistent, but he finally decided to trust me that the puddle would not swallow him up, and he walked through it! Good Boy Fritz! As soon as we got to the other side of the puddle, I looked at my friend and said, “Sometimes you just have to go through” As soon as those words left my mouth, I knew this was a teaching moment for not only Fritz, but for me too. Don't we all want to avoid the puddles on the trail? Those things we would rather ignore and go around. It could be a cluttered closet you don’t want to conquer, that you just keep shutting the door to or it could be an issue or person you need to confront but just keep avoiding. We all have puddles on our trail. I hear Jesus, the master Horsemen saying, “I am with you”. The puddle on the trail will not consume you, but you must go through it. I walk with you through it. The puddle will always be before you creating fear and anxiety until you trust me to conquer it and move forward. We do this together!
He loves us too much to let us avoid everything.
What is your puddle that you have been avoiding? Name that puddle and see yourself walking through it with Jesus.
Isaiah 43: 1-3 Do not be afraid for I ransomed you. I’ve called you by name. You are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you when you go through rivers of difficulty you will not drown.
Lord, help us to trust your guidance when you encourage me to move forward through the puddles of life. I’m thankful that you walk through them with me. By avoiding them they will never be behind me but cause a roadblock to move forward. Let me be like the willing horse that says I don’t really want to, but not my will but your will be done. In Jesus Name Amen!!
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