Learning with Luci

"The dog really needs to get locked up," my husband advised, as I was preparing to join him in moving a bulky toolbox down a flight of steps. "No," I said, "because she's going to sit."

Place! I gave the command and Luci took her place, sitting obediently nearby.

I had no reservations about her staying put; when it comes to certain things, our dog is just a rockstar! Other things, however, like resisting cats, squirrels, dogs, rabbits, deer --pretty much anything with four legs-- well, that's a whole different story. I have been working with Luci to overcome her reactivity to other animals and the neighbor who likes to do push-ups out front of his house. Four "legs," remember? When Luci reacts, I command her to lie down and together we wait. We wait until her brow unfurrows. We wait until she no longer grips the ground with her front paws. We wait until she looks at me when I calmly call her name. We wait. It may take only a minute or two; it may take fifteen or twenty. The neighbors may start popping their heads out to ascertain why, exactly, I've been standing outside their home all morning. I might have somewhere I need to be. But if I want this done right, we wait.

The other morning, another dog drew her attention. Down! We began to wait. As the clock ticked, a dog barked, increasing Luci's anxiety. Moments later, a squirrel chuck-chucked as he scampered down a nearby tree. About the time I considered resuming our walk, a cat darted across our path and Luci's brow wrinkled once again. Twenty-five minutes after leaving the house, and we hadn't made it a tenth of a mile. It was maddening. You can give up and this will never improve, came the reminder, or you can stick it out and experience a more permanent way of dealing with all of this. The strange thing was, I wasn't sure if the reminder was referring to Luci or referring to some of the things with which I struggle on the regular.

We love shortcuts, right? Our computers are loaded with them, we all know the shortest way to get to the places we frequent, and who hasn't fallen down the "life hack" rabbit hole a time or two? But when it comes to dealing with those nasty little --or big-- habits, when it comes to dealing with sin, shortcuts don't cut it. We have to put in the work.

1 John 1:9 says, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. So, our first step needs to be confession. As we take on some very practical new behaviors (pausing to consider the natural consequences of our actions, engaging an accountability partner, talking to a professional counselor, etc.) we can rest on some very important truths:

He is no stranger to temptation. 

He will help us if we ask.

He died for our sins --past, present, and future, so holiness is not some impossible pursuit. 

He knows our hearts better than we do. 

He loves us anyway and has promised to never leave us.

We can be assured, in our weakness, God is glorified; He will help us in our struggle, strengthening and encouraging us, even allowing us to sin so that we might learn a greater lesson and give Him the glory. But if we want it done right, we have to put in the work and trust that in God's time, we will see improvement.