My Human Bark Collar

Ever heard of a human bark collar? Me neither. Well, that’s not entirely true. I had not heard of one until just tonight, when I realized God loves me so much that He has created a human bark collar for me. I have been having some mild, but signficant, symptoms in my body – irregular, erratic, but uncomfortable just the same.
Over the past 24 hours, I realized the symptoms have come simultaneously with thoughts, words, and actions that are not in alignment with God’s will for my life. God loves me so much that He does not want me to stay in the mess I have created. As He teaches me to walk in His love, as He helps me to forgive like He does, as He grows me in faith and spiritual maturity through study and application of the Bible, He is correcting me when I make a mistake.

He is not punishing me; He is loving me. The corrections, like the mild shock of a bark collar, are His way of saying, “there is a better way. I want to lead you to the place where I am calling. Come, follow me.” As I learn to follow Him, to walk in His love to the place He is calling, I will not need the corrections as frequently as I do now. I believe that day is coming very soon.

As the Lord continues to work on my mind, my heart, and my mouth, He reminds me that He wants my life and body to be a holy place for Him to reside. The gentle corrections are so very small compared with the magnificence of His glory as He makes Himself at home in me.