I was watching a movie at home, on which a group of chickens were clucking and strutting around, when…

🐕Suddenly, our dog Trooper, who’d been sleeping, snapped up to complete attention– leaned forward– and stared intently at the TV!

I told him there was no way he could get those chickens– but he didn’t believe me–

🐕Instead, he jumped off the sofa, bounded over to the TV, pawed the screen, and discovered…

THE BARRIER. The reality. Those chickens could not be his for the taking!

He slunk away, disappointed, and laid back down again.

Isn’t that like us sometimes? We’re content until a sound or image flashes in front of us– and then we want whatever it is or reminds us of, so badly, we’ll try anything to get it!

But to no avail.

🙏Is this because the Lord doesn’t want the best for us?

🙏Is this because we’re allowing limits to defeat us and we should just try harder?

~NO TO BOTH OF THESE!

It’s just that when we encounter reality, (the way Trooper encountered the TV screen), we need to remember:

• The Lord is still IN CONTROL of that reality! The world and circumstances are not.  There is no such thing as “random chance”.  There is no such thing as “things out of control”.  They may be out of OUR control, but we can relax, free from anxiety or fear, knowing that HE has everything under control. He’s “got this”—whatever “this” we face!  🙂

“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours…In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.” 1 Chron. 29:11-12

• His sovereign control is GOOD!  It would be really scary if it wasn’t! Imagine someone all-powerful who didn’t have our best interests at heart—that would cause nightmares and fear-filled days for all of us. 

But thankfully, the Lord always uses His power for our best—making even the hard-realities and bad circumstances come out right and good— Yeah, that takes longer to happen than we’d like it to—but hang in there—the best is coming!

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Rom. 8:28

• He is using that reality, that limitation, that off-limits-to-us to keep us from hurting ourselves and/or getting less than the best! Just as good parents put boundaries on their kids to keep them from things like getting burnt, run over by a car, in trouble, etc. 

Also, just as good parents make their kids save their money long enough to buy the better thing– instead of settling for small, temporary, pleasures.

“Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup;
    you make my lot secure.
 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
    surely I have a delightful inheritance.”  Psalm 16:5-6

He’s NOT using that to make us chicken out or lose hope! 🙂

Take heart— Even in times of limitations—when they’re NOT supposed to be there, the Lord will give us the breakthroughs we need!  Our dog didn’t get those chickens, but his diet is better and healthier for him!