We have a 65 pound boxer named Zoe whom our family loves dearly. She is an overly affectionate, ever-present source of joy in our home. However, we recently started becoming increasingly concerned for her. One day, she seemed lethargic, which, for a boxer is practically unheard of. The next day, she begged for food and whined, but she would only take a couple of bites out of her bowl and walk away.
The kids said she seemed depressed. (This was funny to me, because boxers have droopy faces and always look sad when they are still. But, if you’ve ever met one you know that they actually smile with their entire bodies!)
I had to agree with the kids, though. Zoe seemed depressed.
There didn’t seem to be anything physically wrong with her, and it had only been a couple of days, but I decided to get serious about figuring out what her problem was.
On the third morning, she began begging to be fed even though her bowl was full of fresh dog food. I walked with her into the pantry where her dish has always been. She would eat two or three bites. Then, as soon as I walked away, she would stop and follow me out of the room.
I wondered if she was afraid to be in the pantry alone. I moved her food and water into the kitchen and…what do ya know…She gobbled up the entire bowl within a couple of minutes.
It turns out that Zoe would rather starve, or at least barely survive, than face her fear of being in the dark, scary pantry alone. My husband said, “Well, the pantry is pretty scary…”
Later, my youngest son remembered that a few days earlier a baby gate that was propped up against some boxes had fallen over while Zoe was eating. It had startled her. Then, my oldest son said, “Yeah, she doesn’t like to be in the dark, either.”
Well, there you go. Mystery solved. Zoe is a scaredy dog.
A little patience and reassurance on out part was all it took to get her back to eating her food in the pantry.
Thankfully, Zoe is back to her wiggly, licky self. We are all relieved.
Have you ever had an experience that, in the grand scheme of things seemed insignificant, yet you kept replaying its memory over and over? This little episode with Zoe was one of those for me. When this happens to me I’ve learned to just stop and say, “Okay, Lord, what are You trying to teach me here?”
1 Corinthians 1:27 says, “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”
Not that I consider myself wise, except through Him, but I am certainly more sophisticated than my dog. At least I’d like to think so. But how often have I let fear keep me from doing the thing I need to do? How often have I let fear keep me from the thing that I love or need?
It seems silly that our dog would go without food to avoid a dark room with a baby gate that might fall over and make a loud noise. After all, weren’t her ancestors fierce predators?
Yet, how often do we avoid uncomfortable situations because of our fear of the unknown?
Just as Zoe was comforted by my presence, we can be comforted knowing that the Holy Spirit is with us. Zoe’s only real enemy was fear itself.
Go ahead and take that next step toward receiving the good things God has planned for your life. He is good, and He is faithful. Don’t allow your soul to starve because you’re afraid of the dark. Enjoy the fulfillment that can come from walking by faith.
Psalm 34:8 Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.
Pursuing Peace 