Father, life is a little crazy right now. It seems that all kinds of different things keep popping up – things somewhat out of the norm. I pray for Your continued stabilizing presence. Amen.
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Once in one of our Bible studies, we talked a little about getting off on bunny trails. Bunny trails are when we are walking along the paths that God desires for us, and something distracts us, and off we go down a bunny trail. Now sometimes our tangents are unintentional and other times we do so out of disobedience.
I’ve never had a trained dog. The dogs I’ve had in the past were all ones that for the most part would have darted down any bunny trail after the smallest of distractions. For the most part, I could have called them and yelled until I was blue in the face, and they would only return when they were good and ready to do so or when they were hungry enough to do so.
I have read stories and seen videos of dogs who are trained to be obedient. Though they may be tempted to the extreme, they do not yield. They do not want to go against their master’s wishes. Some dogs have even died rather than disobey, much to their master’s dismay.
Lord, why, even with all the training that many of us have had, do we allow ourselves to be distracted? Why do we so readily run down the bunny trails? I realize that You are patient…and loving…and forgiving…but why do I disobey? I know what You want of me but often I ignore it or drown out Your voice with busyness. Sometimes I may not hear You but other times I hear and trot on down the bunny trail.
The Apostle Paul wrote of this struggle – and it was his struggle, too.
For I do not understand my own actions [I am baffled and bewildered by them]. I do not practice what I want to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate [and yielding to my human nature, my worldliness—my sinful capacity]. Now if I habitually do what I do not want to do, [that means] I agree with the Law, confessing that it is good (morally excellent). So now [if that is the case, then] it is no longer I who do it [the disobedient thing which I despise], but the sin [nature] which lives in me. For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh [my human nature, my worldliness—my sinful capacity]. For the willingness [to do good] is present in me, but the doing of good is not. For the good that I want to do, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want to do, I am no longer the one doing it [that is, it is not me that acts], but the sin [nature] which lives in me. Romans 7:15-20 AMP
Lord, forgive me for my wanderings. May I learn to obey my Master. May I not be so easily distracted. May I avoid the bunny trails – no matter how enticing they may be. Amen.
(Written: Aug 24th, 2017 / Posted: Sept 21st, 2018)
Sept 20th, 2023, Wed, 7:58 pm
