“Settle”

I have a new puppy. His name is Gizmo. He’s the most adorable little creature on planet Earth.

No really…just look.

If you’ve ever had a puppy you know the process of training it to behave. Puppies love to chew on everything! They can be hyper and rambunctious, and love to play. To get them to behave properly, you have to teach them to obey and listen to your voice. This process takes a while.

One day recently, Gizmo was going nuts in the house. He was running all around, nipping at everyone’s feet. When I would pick him up, he would do his patented lick my face-then wiggle away immediately combo move. He was rolling all over the floor and occasionally barking. After trying to take him outside a couple of times to see if he needed to go to the bathroom and then playing with him and his toys, I decided to try something different.

I picked Gizmo up off the floor and placed him on his back on my lap. Then, as I put one hand on his stomach and chest while my other held his head gently but firmly, I said, “Settle.” At first, he squirmed under my hold, but I didn’t let go. I whispered in his ear, “Shhhh, settle.” This went on for a few moments, “It’s ok buddy, settle.”

…”Settle.”

Finally, Gizmo looked at me and relaxed. He just sat there for a moment in my hands, resting peacefully, understanding he wasn’t in danger. I could feel his heart rapidly beating through his chest. I smiled and said, “Good boy Gizmo. Settle.” Then I put him down on the floor and he went back to playing, but this time he was calm.

I think we can all learn something from this experience. In a way, I believe this is how God sometimes interacts with us. So often, I feel like my life is crazy and out of control. I run around with my attention split in so many different directions and wear myself out. When situations get me riled up, I inadvertently “nip” at other people in frustration and “chew” on things I shouldn’t. Can you identify with this feeling?

I believe it’s in those moments that God picks us up and holds us in his hands, desiring to calm us down and teach us to “settle.” But what happens when we feel his hands resting on us in the middle of our crazy-eyed fury? We usually wiggle and squirm under the weight of what feels like pressure and loss of control. “Get off of me! I’ve got this,” is how I usually feel. But what’s really happening is that God is trying to get our attention and to listen to the whisper in our ear that he loves us and is trying to calm us down.

“Shhhh, settle,” he says to us. “Settle. It’s ok. I’ve got you. Listen to me. I know a better way. Settle. Rest in me.”

At first, while I was holding Gizmo he thought I was being mean and keeping him from fun, but he soon learned that I had his best in mind. I think it’s the same thing that God is trying tell us when he says in Psalm 46:10,

“Be still, and know that I am God.”

He is trying to get our attention and invites us to listen to his voice; to see there is a better way. We can still live life and enjoy ourselves, but it doesn’t have to be filled with frantic stress and frustration. Let’s practice listening to the whisper of our Creator and…

Settle.

How have you experienced God trying to get you to settle down? I look forward to reading your thoughts in the comments below.