Building Strong Roots

I like to please people. That is part of why I became a vet because I like to make people and animals happy. However when I get too caught up in pleasing everyone it makes my life hell because I just can’t.

I can’t make their beloved pet’s cancer or kidney failure go away. I wish I had that magic wand, but it hasn’t been discovered yet.

I can’t treat animals for free. I have to have money to live and pay off my student loans just like everyone else.

I can’t know everything. Every animal responds differently to diseases and treatments. Plus we are always discovering new things.  I’m always willing to do some more research, but not everyone is willing to wait.

I can’t make a diagnosis over the phone or often times even just based on physical exam. Animal’s can’t tell me what hurts or what trouble they got into, so bloodwork and x-rays go a long way to giving me a better picture.

And sometimes everything goes really smoothly and I still can’t make people happy because either that’s the type of person they are or the other stuff in their lives is clouding over their day.

And the biggest problem is that I can never make myself happy. I’m always too slow, too dumb, too quiet, too awkward, too out of shape. Even if 100 things went well in my day I will beat myself up for hours over the one thing that didn’t.

Instead of making everyone happy, I need to focus on pleasing God. What pleases Him never changes or contradicts itself.

When I focus on making myself and everyone else happy I am like a tree that is unable to dig roots into the rock it has decided to grow on and so ends up being tossed here and there.

When I focus on God I become a tree firmly planted in the cliff side. The winds and waves may be rough, but I don’t go anywhere because I am firmly anchored and stuck in the Rock.

When my focus shifts off of God I use up all my energy and time fretting and tearing myself down.

When I am firmly anchored I have more energy and love and grace to pour into other people.

Psalm 62:  

For God alone my soul waits in silence; 

from Him comes my salvation.

He alone is my rock and my salvation,
    my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.

How long will all of you attack a man
    to batter him,
    like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
They only plan to thrust him down from his high position.
    They take pleasure in falsehood.
They bless with their mouths,
    but inwardly they curse. Selah

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
    for my hope is from Him.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
    my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
On God rests my salvation and my glory;
    my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

Trust in Him at all times, O people;
    pour out your heart before Him;
    God is a refuge for us. Selah

Those of low estate are but a breath;
    those of high estate are a delusion;
in the balances they go up;
    they are together lighter than a breath.
Put no trust in extortion;
    set no vain hopes on robbery;
    if riches increase, set not your heart on them.

Once God has spoken;
twice have I heard this:
that power belongs to God,
and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love.
For you will render to a man
according to his work.

 

God’s love is steadfast, so we don’t have to be shaken.

Live loved.

 

References

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+62&version=ESV