A soft rustling sound was coming from the back of the wood stack as my sister and I sat on the garage steps. I peered over the stack, and sure enough, I could see a tiny gray ball of fur and green eyes squinting at me. The stray kitten pushed himself further behind the wood, trying to escape our sight.
Even as we put a bowl of food out, the kitten still looked from the bowl to us to the bowl to us. He couldn’t decide if it was worth the risk. My sister and I stood further away from the pile, watching the kitten poke his head out and then scramble towards the bowl. He chewed quickly, crunching down on the dry paw-print food as if he hadn’t eaten in a few weeks, which might have been true.
As soon as I took a step forward, he paused, staring at me, as if trying to read my mind. I stepped forward again and he darted behind the wood pile, not bothering to look back. He was like this for a few weeks, letting me only a few steps closer before hiding. It became frustrating because I knew I wasn’t going to hurt him, and by now, he should have known this as well; I was feeding him after all. However he continued to act as though I’d change my mind any moment and harm him.
One day I was sitting on the garage stairs, watching as the slightly bigger ball of fur sat before me eating his dinner. He glanced up at me as he ate. As he continued to eat, I slid myself onto the floor beside him. He stopped. We both just stared at each other, moments passing and going as we waited. And then he stepped forward to sniff me, still glancing up at me as he took in my now familiar smell. I reached out my hand, as I had done so many times before and always getting a running-and-hiding response. However this time, he let me pet him. As I pet his fluffy fur, I could feel the fragile bones from his back and I realized how small he truly was. Then, he scurried away, as if to say, “Okay, that’s enough for one day,” and returned to his wood pile safe haven.
When I thought about this story later, I realized how it paralleled many Christians’ experiences to God. How many times have we viewed God as a stranger rather than a friend? We could see God reaching out His hand, yet we didn’t trust that He would follow through. Sometimes we turn away from God, not because we fear Him, but because we fear being let down by Him. What if we trust this Almighty being, but He doesn’t follow through? Or what if we end up in pain instead of joy?
Reflect on a time that you didn’t trust God. What was the result of that situation?
God reaches out His hand to us constantly, offering His love and assistance. He loves us and wants to take care of us. However if we don’t let Him get closer to us, how can we expect to grow in our relationship with Him? How can we expect to see Him as a friend rather than a stranger?
When the kitten finally allowed me to embrace him, even though it was only for a few seconds, I felt overjoyed. I knew that we had gained a stronger sense of trust in each other. God wants this for us too. He desires a close bond with His creation and He desires your trust.
Read Psalm 9:10 and Proverbs 3:5. Think about what you can do this week to increase your trust in God. Please end in prayer.
Dear Father, I thank You for all You are to this world and to me. I pray that You open my heart to a deeper understanding of Your love and grace. I want to give my life to You, Lord. I want to trust in You through everything I go through. I pray that You give me the strength and courage to trust in You no matter the circumstance. Remind me that You will never fail me when I am in fear. In Your Name, Amen.
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