God Is Always for Us

We recently adopted a four-month-old Bernedoodle named Khana. She is the sweetest ball of fluff, and her presence has brought a lot of joy to our family. Even though she had little human interaction before joining our family, bonding and training has been a smooth process. That is, except for crate training. For the first few weeks, after a long walk, we would carry her shaking eighteen-pound body to her crate.

The second Khana finished the treats we’d dropped in her cage, the moans of terror began. Every night, we held our breath as the howls of protest began. Khana would bite her cage, try to squeeze her nose and paws through the holes, and spin herself around, looking for any possible escape. The boundaries of the crate were torture for her.

Following the experts’ advice to reduce our puppy’s separation anxiety, we started putting her in the crate for a few minutes here and there to help her understand that we would always come back to let her out. Sadly, her protests continued to be loud, regardless of the time of day.

My heart broke hearing her, but I knew Khana’s crate was the safest place for her to sleep.

One morning, as I rocked our cowering pup, who was still recovering from the previous night of safe sleep, I glanced around the room. Her water and food bowls were full, and her giant toy pile was spread across the carpet. Regardless of the clear provision for Khana’s needs and wants, she wanted none of it. Instead, she was focused on pressing into my lap as close as possible.

It struck me in that moment that there have been times in my life when my behavior wasn’t much different from that of the shaking puppy in my lap.

How many times has God surveyed all he has provided for me, wishing I trusted his boundaries? How many times has God nudged me to accept a “no” or “not yet” for my own safety? How many times has God wrapped his arms around me, guiding me to cut out that which was meant to harm me (see Exodus 33:27)?

Just like our puppy, I’ve howled in protest when I’ve misunderstood God’s intentions, choosing to believe my circumstances were a punishment rather than a boundary established in love. Whether it’s an unwanted job transition, the loss of a loved one, or a life dream yet achieved, when we find ourselves in stressful situations, it’s easy to embrace the lie that God isn’t for us.

Psalm 118:5-7 says,

Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free.
The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?
The Lord is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me. (ESV)

While I could share many examples of me protesting God’s boundaries, the one that stands out most vividly is when my husband lost his job seven years ago. I was afraid and angry. I protested to God for months and yet, in hindsight, we moved at the right time for our sons’ emotional well-being. More than that, we’ve found an amazing church, developed solid friendships, and planted roots in a wonderful community.

I have discovered the solution to unnecessary howling in protest is to trust the hands that care for me the most. Even when the boundaries feel constricting, pause to consider that your Creator loves you so much that he desires to protect you. Whether you’ve just received some difficult news or you’ve been waiting for your “not yet” to shift to a “yes” for years, I encourage you to join me in clinging to the promise that God is always for us.

Beth M. Walker is an author, speaker, and experienced digital marketer. Married to a football coach and raising two sons, she has waded through the challenges of balancing home life with the work she loves. One of Beth’s gifts is helping others discern their gifts and take them to the next level. With many years of expertise in writing and digital marketing, she has helped countless people identify their unique calling, thrive in their life purpose, and pursue their courageous next step vocationally. She blogs at BethMWalker.com.