Psalms 32:9-10

“9 Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by the bit and bridle or they will not come back to you. 10 Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him.”

Mules and horses are notorious for having to be “broken” to be useful. A wild horse or mule isn’t good for much but getting into trouble until it’s trained to submit to a higher power. Running free, living off the land, etc. is romantic and wistful, but in most places they’re invasive species and do more harm to the environment than good. Kinda like us.

Do not be like the stubborn mule or horse which have no understanding, who don’t come to you when you need them, who create havoc and disrupt what you’re trying to get done. Not only that, they can be deadly dangerous.

So too are we when we want to disregard, ignore, deny, the one who created us, the one who is our Lord, Savior, Master.

He is with us every step of the way, training us, moving us, molding us to be who he created us to be. Almost like He’s using a bit and bridle, but we have higher intelligence, greater emotional capabilities, and more self will. Consequently, when we are finally “broken”, man it hurts.

The process of being broken is tough, rough, uncomfortable, you name it. God won’t stop trying though until the day when He says, “OK, it’s time” and fulfills His promises. That means that He’s going to keep working on you, He’s going to keep molding you, He’s going to keep breaking you in an attempt to get you to where He wants you to be, to get you to fulfill the reason He created you. He never gives up, He keeps coming.

Many are the woes of the wicked, and it’s no wonder, but not for the reason you think. It comes from the corrective action of God. It comes from Him trying to move us. Dang, why do I love getting hit upside the head with a 2*4 so much!

For some, there comes a time during the process when they finally get it, when it becomes clear what the training is all about, when they give up fighting for self will. Some don’t and live a life fighting God, constantly being corrected.

Even a mule figures it out eventually. Where are you?