Are you stubborn?

Are you ever stubborn?  I am sure you said yes.  We all are sometimes.  Some of us more than others.  I know I can be and it often makes things more difficult.  Life is just going along, we hit those nasty speed bumps and we get annoyed and downright stubborn because we don't like the direction we are going.  I was reading Psalm 32 this morning.

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.  Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you."

All I could picture is myself being that stubbord horse or mule and God having to curb me with a bit and/or a bridle.  A very painful picture.  I believe that so often when things in my life have become hard it's because God is having to do this to me.  The next verse says "but steadfast love surrounds the one who trust in the Lord."  The dictionary definition of steadfast is "fixed in direction, firm in purpose, unwavering."  This is the kind of love that will surround us when we just trust in the Lord.  Is it not easy but the more we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus the stronger we become and the more we recognize that we have become that stubborn mule again.

It is such a beautiful picture when you read the first part.  God, instucting me and teaching me the way to go.  Even more, with his eye upon me.  How comforting to know that his eye is always upon me.  Even on those days when I don't "feel" close to him, when I feel far off from God.  His eye is still upon me, wanting me to just release the tension on the rope and walk with him.

What is it in your life that is keeping you from walking with God instead of fighting him like the mule?  Release it and let it go!