Growing up I always wanted to have a dog. I would spend countless hours on the internet learning about different breeds and how to teach dogs tricks. I would even print out web pages and staple them in a notebook to have for future reference!
Unfortunately, even though I had a notebook filled with data on dogs, my parents didn’t share in on my desire to have one. What I saw as a fun, furry friend, they saw as an added responsibility.
Fast forward 10-12 years later and I finally had my chance to get a dog! My girlfriend’s family at the time was giving away one of their dogs and I convinced my family we should take the dog in. Just like that, we had a dog! Her name was Zoe. She was a Rhodesian Ridgeback mix and she was about 2 years old. My long-lost desire had been fulfilled.
Having a dog was exciting and I loved telling people about how fascinating Rhodesian Ridgebacks were, but once I graduated from college and started working, the excitement started to wear off. Living by myself, I quickly realized how much responsibility and work it took to have a dog and as a result I was beginning to see Zoe as a huge burden. I had to wake up early every morning and return home right after work in order to take care of her. It got so bad that a couple of months ago I remember saying to my brother, “I honestly don’t think there is one benefit to having a dog. It’s just all cost. You need to feed, walk, entertain and love the dog. It is constantly dependent on you. There are just no benefits. I don’t know why people would ever have a dog.” I know, really harsh stuff.
In all of this frustration, I felt the slight prompting of the Holy Spirit to try and appreciate my dog. I mean, I still had Zoe and complaining about her would only make things worse. So I would pray asking the Lord to help me appreciate Zoe and see this dog as He does. I even went to see the movie, A Dog’s Purpose, to assist in this effort of appreciating Zoe! It was after several weeks, if not months, of these simple, yet heartfelt prayers of asking the Lord to change my heart that, to my amazement, he did.
One day, I was walking Zoe, as I so routinely did, praying over various areas of my life. I was even praying for my relationship with Zoe when, suddenly, a huge light bulb went off in my head. Zoe had affected my relationship with God in a massively positive way.
You see, I realized in that moment, that almost every time I walk Zoe or take her outside, I’m praying and talking to the Lord. It’s a portion of my quiet time with God that I love, one of the best ways I connect with God and in turn, hear Him speak to me. When I’m walking Zoe, I separate myself from the busyness of my job and the world, slowing things down to connect with God. It’s a precious time with my heavenly Father. I was reminded of times when I would go to a nearby field with Zoe, let her off the lease to run as I would walk underneath the stars and pray. Sometimes I’d be going through a difficult time and I’d be crying out to God, pouring out the deepest parts of my heart to Him. It’s in these moments where God has met me in some of the most profound ways, all while Zoe was with me.
Without Zoe, I would not have had all of these priceless moments with God, never having prayed or connected with God in the times I needed to most. I would have missed His voice. All the responsibility and sacrifice of having Zoe has been well worth it because of how much my relationship with God has benefited as a result. This dog that I once thought was a massive burden was actually one of the greatest blessings I could have asked for. I can honestly thank the Lord for giving me Zoe.
What about you? Do you have any situations in your life that feel burdensome? I encourage you to ask the Lord to help you see things the way He sees them, as blessings that lead you closer to Him.
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