What a dog can teach us about our relationship with God

[workinprogress]

Yesterday, I was walking my sister’s dog while she was out of town. He started after a neighbor’s cat. I shouted at him, but he wouldn’t come back until after several shouts (I walk him frequently because my sister lives at my parents’ house). Finally, he obeyed. Of course, next time, he did the same thing. I was irritated until I realize I do that to God all too often…God doesn’t always start by shouting but sometimes His allowing us to suffer by our own actions or omissions is loud enough.

 

[Mary_s_Lamb]

One of my dogs accidentally consumed one of my son’s medications, that he dropped. I had to give him hydrogen peroxide to make him vomit. He trustingly drank it because I gave it to him. Then I took him to an emergency clinic. I left him for several hours with strangers. There they gave him horrible, activated charcol to drink.

When I went back to pick him up, I was concerned that he’d be upset with me. But he was sooooo happy to see me. And joyfully, jumped into the car to go back home.

This made me reflect on my relationship with God. Am I so trusting that I’d accept what I consider “bad or unpleasant” things just because He knows what is best for me?

Sadly, the answer is sometimes “no”. But hopefully, it will become more and more “yes” as I grow in my abandonment to His will.

You’re right we can all learn about God from His creatures. Just like St. Francis.

 

[WhiteDove]

Dogs are cheerful, happy creatures. They are very humble. And the more time they spend in your presence, the better behaved and happier they become.

I have two dogs. They are both a year old. We just returned from a walk in the woods. One is Kipper, a border collie/ austrailian shepherd mix. The other is Spirit, a chocolate lab. They are good dogs.

 

[Grace_and_Glory]

I had a dog who would leave food on the floor without eating it if I told her not to eat it. It makes me wonder if I would be willing to go without things I really like just because God asked me to. She also hated being away from me, and I think her worst fear was that she would be separated from me. I’d like to think that I live as though my worst fear is separation from God.

 

[dumspirospero]

I think their unconditional love for us as their owners is a perfect example…if we loved God…had as much Faith in him as dogs do in us and if we completely trusted God as dogs trust their owners…then we would all be Saints.

 

[Exporter]

I have owned 12 or 14 dogs in my life. About half of them have impressed me a lot. Those dogs seemed to “read” my emotions even though I didn’t say a thing. And yes, I have thoughht that my dogs must look to me as I look to God.

 

[workinprogress]

One thing I like about dogs and people is that they are more honest than us adults . My sister’s dog, when he eats something he was not given, looks guilty when we come back home. If it comes back after we shout in an angry way, he looks sheepish also. Children try to hide things, but they are still more honest than us adults in a more wholistic way because they are themselves (unless they are neglected, abused physically or verbally and turn evil like the Columbine killers, though even then, it’s not because they are trying to be phony until they start thinking like that).