Jello is barking at a fly. How can I pray to the great God of the universe when this stupid dog is barking at a fly.

I sat down in my big chair to talk to my heavenly Father about the difficulties of my situation, the people and even potential threats that I’m facing. I must tell Him about this, but how can I concentrate.  Jello, my stocky white terrier, has planted herself, tensed for a fight, in the middle of my bed, which is as high as she can get, to rid us of this dangerous thing.

“That’s stupid. To bark at a fly is stupid,” I yell to try to stop her yelling.

Now wait a minute. Maybe God, My Father, is trying to tell me something. At II Corinthians 4:17 Paul uses the words “momentary, light afflictions.”  I have, as my personal Father, the wise and strong God, Who is totally capable of handling anything life can throw at me. The things that worry me do not worry Him. My forgetting Who He is and focusing totally on my troubles is not really praying. As someone once said, “It (my trouble) may be the truth, but it’s not the whole truth.” The whole truth includes the love and capability of my Father and His involvement in my life.

So when I just worry, even calling it “being in the presence of the Lord,” I am actually barking at flies, and that’s stupid.

Thank you, Jello.

— Jane Freuler
jfreuler@comcast.net