Upheld In Dreaded Things

The Dreaded Thing

Last week, I took my kitties in for their annual checkup. They are healthy. Yay. Except …

They have the beginnings of dental problems. How do you brush a cat’s teeth? It’s sort of like giving them a bath. You’ve seen the posts about stiff legs, ruffed hair, water and suds all over the owner, right? Yep.

This week, they go for pre-surgery blood work. Great. More chase and howl time in the carriers. And next month, nobody wants to do the teeth cleaning thing. Not to mention my draining dollars.

But, if I want my beloved furry companions to live a longer life, healthy and without pain, there comes a time to do the dreaded thing.

Trust God

I wonder if that’s how we are with God? We like things to go along on an even keel. We don’t like surprises that force us into decisions we dread.

But what if that thing we fear is what will allow our lives to move forward?

We know God loves us. We know He is sovereign, which means He’s the boss over all things. Couldn’t He just remove the dreaded thing and let us go on our merry way?

If that could happen, we wouldn’t have to stick out our legs and feet, so we don’t fit into the box, we don’t have to spit and howl, we don’t have to endure some pain in the interim.

But what if that thing that causes us panic is the very thing that allows growth, length of days, and enriches our lives beyond anything we could imagine?

Maybe the thing we dread becomes our friend—after all.

I guess it always comes back to: will we trust God to care for us and see us through life, or not?

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:33,34).