A cat, a limp and a stronger faith.



A few days ago we noticed our kitten limping around the house. It got worse over the next two days and so we took her to the vet. The vet immediately saw the limp and got to work. They took her to this little room where they were doing their little analysis of the situation. What resulted was a whole lot of noise. The vet, when trying to find out whether it was a fracture and where the pain was went about pressing along the leg of the cat. Each time she went near the injured area there was a whole lot of angry shouting from the little cat and scared attempts at clawing at anything. By the end of that ordeal the vet had her diagnosis and a little while later we got on our way home.

Those moments of a screaming cat reminded me of something true. The many times in my life when God had to apply pressure of various sorts to my life to expose where there are breaks, wounds and fractures are. Times of pain and pressure help me see what is and what is not broken in my life. I must admit though that I too much like my cat go about screaming and clawing. Maybe not in the same tone and volume or as visible as she did, but definitely in the confines of my own heart I resemble her immense distaste for the things being done to me. Through the whole ordeal the vet knew she was causing pain to the animal. She was aware of it and kept trying to reassure the cat while still getting on with what she had to do rather than chastise the animal for trying to attack. Again that was a picture of God for me. He knows the pain, he knows it hurts and he doesn’t get angry that we feel hurt or pained and that we show it. He understands that we are hurting in that moment but He also speaks His words of assurance and comfort while continuing to go about that important task of using pain to take us to greater heights of spiritual health.

James in the very first chapter of his book teaches that our trials work in us to produce perseverance. Trials comes our way and help to teach us where we need to persevere. James, while still talking about that same context of enduring trials goes on to say if anyone of us lacks wisdom we ought to ask God who will give freely. The wisdom he is talking about is the wisdom that allows us to see how those times of trails and pain can produce in us Godly character. When we gain that wisdom and that perspective then even though the pain doesn’t magically disappear, we still are able to grow through the pain. And when we see how God uses these times the exhortation of James becomes much more obvious – to consider it joy when we go through these times because we know God is working on our character and we can choose to partner with him in this character formation. What a wonderful hope to hold on to in tough times.

We came away with a healthier cat that day and I came away with a healthier heart and even though it won’t make the painful times less painful at least it makes my heart more confident and I hope yours too.

God bless.

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