Settle

It amazes me how many lessons God highlights through the antics of my six-month-old puppy.

The latest lesson for both of us is settle. That’s my word for down that he’s been practicing. I chose the word settle because that’s what comes to me naturally. I want him to lie down, so he will settle.

He’s pretty smart and learning his commands quickly. He’s also very treat-motivated, so that helps. He’s got settle figured out. Except when I want to lift him from his playpen. That’s when he decides settle is optional.

I get frustrated, of course, when he won’t settle long enough for me to pick him up from the playpen. He knows how to settle. He just chooses not to.

He doesn’t seem to understand that settle means an upgrade, either an outdoor exploration or a nap in his favorite doggy bed. All he knows is that settle means an end to running in the playpen.

As I shake my head and try to get him to hold still, I realize God is showing me things about myself. See, I don’t settle well either. In fact, my puppy settles a lot more often and willingly than I do.

I’m prone to keep pushing ahead, even when I know God is calling me to rest. I get frustrated at things, even when I know He offers peace. I get upset and anxious, even when I know the better choice is to sit with Him. How many times do I choose restless behavior, rather than submit to the settle upgrade of stillness and calmness with the Lord?

I’m glad God provides these lessons. He knows how much time I spend helping my puppy learn and grow. So, when God gives a lesson through puppy care, He has my attention.

Thankfully, it’s a lesson that sticks with me. Everytime I ask my puppy to settle, I can hear God asking if I will do the same.

Thank You, Lord, for Your prompts on how to live as You call me to live. Thank You for teaching me to settle—that peacefulness in Your presence is the better choice, the upgrade. As I ask my puppy to settle, help me to remember to settle myself. In Jesus’ name. Amen