“Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.” Lamentations 3:32

I’m not a cat person, but one cat did win my heart. Frisbee was like family. One day she went missing. We canvased the neighborhood with posters, but a month passed with no word. She seemed lost to us forever… then someone called.

We picked her up, and her underbelly was a mess of mats consisting of sticks, sap, moss, and dirt. She was clearly in great discomfort.

We got busy. I held her legs firmly, belly up. She trashed violently. My wife gently pulled the mats away from her skin and cut them off one by one. It took a few sessions, but soon Frisbee was back to her usual antics and I began waking up with cat hair in my mouth again. (Good thing I liked her!) 

We’ve all been messed up to some degree from our time in this world. In some cases, we suffer injustice from others. But we also do shameful things. In other instances, God disciplines us by allowing us to suffer the consequences of our actions. “The Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.” (Proverbs 3:12) 

Whatever the cause of our shame, God graciously picks us up, takes us home and goes to work cleaning and healing us.

Will you show God your underbelly today? It won’t be comfortable and it may even hurt, but if you trust God enough to let Him at your mess of mats, He’ll graciously cut away what’s been stealing your joy. You’ll be free to play in His presence again.

Further reading: Let God See You Naked

Dear Father, I’m trusting You with all of me, even the parts that are hurting. I anticipate the greater freedom and joy You want to give me in my life of serving You. Thank you so much! Amen.

Take Action

What pain are you still carrying? Tell God about it. Invite Him to do whatever is needed to heal you. Commit to bringing this area of your life to Jesus again and again until you start to experience healing and greater joy. 

You don’t have to face the pain alone. Connect with a mentor today. We’re here to encourage you.



Tags: Love Freedom