07/17/2023
My 150+ pound dog stepped through the ceiling drywall one day while running through the attic. Since that day our cats love to go to the attic and peek their heads through to see what is going on when our door is closed and they can’t come in. Well one of our cats realized she could squeeze through the hole and does so on a regular basis to get in. When she wants to leave, she launches herself from the top of the cabinet we have nearby and hangs from the door frame. Then reaches up and Ninja Warriors her way through the hole into the attic.
Today she launched herself a little too far. She was hanging from the edge of the door. If she fell, she would surely hit the door k**b on the way down, and that could really hurt her. So, I ran over to the door and held her back feet close to the door, I reached up and tried to get her front claws off the top of the door jam. She was so scared and tense that she just kept clawing at the door, digging in deeper to the wood. I tried reassuring her with a calm voice that she could let go as I tried to remove her from the situation. She growled and hissed at me (not in her personality at all). I tried sliding her toward the hole in the ceiling thinking this was what she wanted and would make her happy. More hissing and growling. This went on for quite a bit (I’m short and I cannot reach the top of the door frame to release her claws). Finally, I decided to just let her go. She was not going to allow me to help her and I couldn’t force her. She was dug in and too tense to listen (and let’s be honest cats don’t listen to reason). I was so scared to let her go, she was going to get hurt. I didn’t want to see her get hurt. She hung there for a minute, the full weight of her body beneath her claws again. She looks back at me and pleaded with deep meows to come back. Looking down at the ground and back up at the ceiling she was scared and didn’t know what to do. I went back to her and grabbed her so quickly she didn’t have time to fight, and I said just let go, I’ve got you. Once She was off that door, she jumped directly from my arms to the floor and it was as if nothing had transpired. There was no appreciation for the help I had tried to provide or the final outcome. She walked away like this was her win.
As I was sitting in the situation I laughed and said this must be what God feels like. We get ourselves into these crazy and sometimes bizarre situations and find ourselves just hanging there. Too scared to move forward and unable to go back. He comes beside us and talks to us. He tries to coax us into the things that would help us the most, but we dig into this place of fear and exhaustion. God doesn’t leave us, he tries to show us another way. We fight him and say no, I’ve got this. I can do it better, I can do it my way. Then, sometimes God says “OK”, do it your way and steps back enough to let you try. He never leaves, he is just waiting, waiting for the plea when you look around and realize you cannot do it alone. Then he steps in. He says just let go, I’ve got you. Sometimes the fight continues, and people get hurt (try fighting a cat off a wall). Sometimes God helps us land safely on the floor and we keep going, keep moving forward. Hopefully when, we have made it to safety we look back and acknowledge that God helped us through. A lot of times we just take our salvation and keep walking like nothing had transpired and there was nothing to be thankful for.
So much could be taken from this chance encounter with my cat today. Maybe it is a call to let go and let God. Maybe it was a reminder to stop and appreciate the situations God has got you through. Maybe it was a chance to hear that God does save. Whatever you are going through know you are not alone. God is there for you, he will walk every path with you, just ask. Believe Jesus Christ died on the cross for the forgiveness of your sins and you will have life.
John 3:L6-17 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
