Grabbing The Bit

A long time ago, (back in my dumber days) actually, it was when I was a kid, I had this horse that had come off the race track. It was obvious that he had been mistreated and soured. He was a powerful horse, and I loved him. He would do just fine until he got into a situation where he came under pressure and he would lose it! You never knew when it was gonna happen either. One time at a horse show, he reared up and came down on the hood of someone's little sports car. (Why do parents let their kids ride horses like this?) Anyway we had a few mishaps together but nothing like the one we had in a Wal-Mart parking lot at Sedalia, MO.

I had made it to state with this horse, and some friends and I decided to ride from the fair grounds to Wal-Mart. We got our stuff and were leaving. I had a bag of ice in front of me in the saddle, and a spatula in my hip pocket and “Bullwinkle” (he had a head that sorta favored a moose) started getting nervous. I began doing what I always did to calm him but it wasn't working. Next thing I knew, he had grabbed the bit shank in his mouth and started running 9-0 across the paved parking lot. I knocked the ice out of the saddle and started thinking about my options. We could go right and cross a busy street or hold straight and aim for a big 7 foot chain link fence. I chose the fence, figuring that he would stop. He didn't. He tried to jump it! We landed on the other side upside-down, a couple of sections of fence laid out, and the horse was thrashing around trying to get back on his feet. Some guys across the street at a gas station saw the whole thing and I could hear them screaming as they were running to us, "she's broke her neck!" I thought oh my God,
I've broke my neck! But when the dust settled all I had was a lot of sore places, a busted nose, two black eyes------and a calmer horse.

This horse wasn't born this way. Being handled roughly and mistreated by man had made him like he was. Eventually he came out of it totally and made quite the good ranch horse, but it took time, love and patience. I've met people like this. Past experiences have wounded them deeply, and when under certain kinds of stress, they flip out, grab the bit and do things they later regret. There IS a better way.

Yes, we know you've been mistreated and abused, but you can't use this as your ticket in life forever! There has to come a time where we leave our past behind or we can never enjoy our todays, much less have any hope for a better tomorrow! The fact is, if you have TRULY given your life over to Jesus Christ, you now have a new owner. One Who will never abuse you. So, if you "say" you trust Jesus------why not really trust Him? When you find yourself under the gun, so to speak, don't take the bit and go off doing things your own way. Learn to listen and wait on God. He KNOWS what to do-----we just "think" we do! Take time to know ---really know----your new Master. When you know Him, you can trust Him. Oh, and by the way-------spit that bit
out.