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 My little terrier has developed a food allergy. She scratches herself so badly that the hair will not grow on her legs. We took her to the vet, and he said Lucy had to start eating a hypoallergenic dog food. She also could have no more table scraps.
That was a blow to me. Lucy and I have a routine in the morning that I look forward to every day. I make two eggs sunny side up and two pieces of toast for breakfast. Lucy waits patiently until I finish, and then she licks up the remains from my plate. It makes her happy, and I enjoy it immensely.
But no more.
It is painful to watch the confusion and disappointment on her face when I take my plate to the sink instead of giving it to her. She looks betrayed. I can almost hear her say, “We had a beautiful thing here; what happened?”
We use to share popcorn in the evening while I watched TV. Now she just stares at me in disbelief. And the hardest part is I cannot make her understand that I am doing it for her benefit.
I wonder if this is a little bit like how God feels when He disciplines me.
“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:11)
Lucy may never fully understand why it has to be this way. But her allergy will subside, and she will get better. That is my one consolation.
I may never fully understand why life has to be the way it is. But later on, the harvest of righteousness and peace will be worth the pain. That is my one consolation.
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