"The Rebel Sigh"

"Teach me to feel that Thou art always nigh; Teach me the struggles of the soul to bear --

 To check the rising doubt, the rebel sigh; Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer."

--George Croly

     "W-A-L-K." Even just spelling it got Maggie's tail wagging, which of course caused her whole body to shake. At first glance, one might mistake the little pup for a rodent. However, she was greatly loved by Solomon, her owner and adopted father. Like any parent, he provided discipline when needed, but mostly gentle care and love. At times, it was difficult for Maggie to understand why Solomon responded with anger towards her; she thought she was being helpful when she brought all of his shoes downstairs for him. Overall though, the bond the two shared was iron-tight.

     And so, as part of their beloved morning ritual, the two went on a "W-A-L-K" to the front of the charming southern neighborhood and back.  As the two meandered along the side of the road, Maggie noticed a mysterious object in the center of the asphalt. Excited and curious, she yanked as hard as she could, attempting to chase after it. Solomon quickly pulled back, injuring Maggie's pride more than anything. Confused, she stared up at him as several cars whizzed by, moving faster than they should in a neighborhood. Maggie had no idea the danger these vehicles posed to her, just that her father was keeping her away from the object of her pursuits.  

    The walks continued in a similar fashion over the next several months. Each time, Maggie whined and begged, at a loss as to why Solomon could treat her so. Why was he keeping her from the joy of the mysterious item she pined for? Did he not love her? Did he not want her to be happy? How could he be so unfair?

     One day as they returned to their house, Maggie spotted once again the object that had piqued her interest. She yanked hard against her leash, straining hard towards the street. This time, Solomon followed her, allowing her to explore. Maggie bolted to the mysterious item, something tiny and brown. She began to sniff it, then immediately began to gag. Unfortunately, this thing she had sought after was nothing more than a dead frog. 

Sometimes, we are a lot like Maggie, chasing after things we think will give us joy. Thankfully, God is never very far from us, all we have to do is ask for His help. "We do not even know how we ought to pray, but through our inarticulate groans the Spirit himself is pleading for us, and God who searches our most being knows what the Spirit means, because He pleads for God's people in God's own way," -Elisabeth Elliot. 

At some point we must learn to deal with the rebel sigh within us, to allow God to reign over our lives. Not just certain areas of our life, but every single aspect. We each have that area we must put to death daily. It would be far too easy if our struggles just disappeared. Sometimes we have to wrestle for a time in order to grow closer to God, to learn to fully depend on Him.