A Lesson From Dog-Walking

The other day, my roommate was out of the country. I had the fun privilege of walking her 2 dogs, Kennedy and Mackenzie, a couple of times. They are boarder collie mixes, so not exactly small dogs. And I am not exactly a large person. :)

So getting down the stairs with these excited creatures was a feat. I needed to walk the dogs and not let them walk me! I realized that the more I just held firmly to their leashes, the easier it was to do just that. This really came in handy in the subway station, not letting them pull me into the train track and all.

Then I realized what an analogy this is for my emotions. God has been using so many things to teach me that who I am will never change. We as humans are, first and foremost, spiritual beings! If we accept Jesus who wants to be our savior, our spirits are one with God. Our bodies and our souls (the governing seats for our emotions and the like) are important but must come under the control of our spirits in order to be led in a way that makes sense.

How many of us know that sometimes our emotions lie? Have you ever had a dream about someone and been mad at them later for something they did in the dream? Or how about having affection for a person because they remind you of someone you like, only to get to know them and realize that they are not at all very nice? If we are led by our emotions, we can easily self-destruct.

If we are led by our bodies, it's the same. Chemicals in our bodies regulate things like hunger, correct temperature, etc. to tell us when we need to make adjustments. Many chemical impulses are learned behavior. For instance, if someone fed you every time you were upset as a child, you will associate comfort with food. But food doesn't last, and it cannot comfort your soul in a deep and enduring way like your creator can. Or if someone you loved mistreated or abused you as a child, you may actually be turned on by people who hurt you (ever hear women say they want "bad boys"?). This, too, will see your demise.

So what do we do? The same thing I did when walking Kennedy and MacKenzie. We shift who is holding the leash and how. Ask God to show us what is real. Read the Bible, because this tells us the truth. Maybe a coworker or classmate said we were inadequate. God says, "You are beautiful, my darling. There is no flaw in you." Maybe someone mistakes your tender personality for weak because the world says that strength is harshness. The Bible says that in a woman, "a gentle and quiet spirit" is of great worth in God's sight! We begin telling our emotions and bodies what is true, and commanding them to fall in line.

So next time those emotions threaten to pull you into the train tracks, let your spirit do the walking. Ask God to help you, and watch Him blow your mind!