THRASHING IN BARBED WIRE
We still don't know how it happened. Linda was home alone when our neighbor frantically knocked on the door. She said a deer was caught in a barbed-wire fence, her kids were freaking out over it, and she didn't know what to do. Grabbing some wire cutters, the two set out on an epic journey to free the deer. It turned out to be more challenging than they imagined. Approaching the deer, the distraught animal began feverishly kicking and thrashing. Of course, the increased writhing intensified its entanglement and pain. Even the soothing words of my wife (aptly dubbed "the animal whisperer") didn't seem to calm it. Eventually the thrashing subsided long enough for Linda to begin snipping away the wire. Once again, more kicking. Pausing long enough for the poor beast to settle, she resumed her snipping. After repeating this process numerous times, eventually the deer was released. Limping away to a tentative freedom, the deer appeared less than grateful, even though its "savior" (Linda) was cut and wounded in the process.
How often do we react the same way with God? We find ourselves in a tangled mess (generally of our own making). Like this unfortunate deer, the harder we try to free ourselves, the more entrapped we become. We're helplessly and hopelessly ensnared. Eventually, we cry out to God and He shows up with his "wire cutters" to free us. Then the fight is on, as we struggle against his method of liberating us, because it often involves facing unpleasant truths about ourselves, and shifting our behavior. Finally, when we cease thrashing, when we let go and trust God, He frees us. We can sure act like dumb animals sometimes!
It's fascinating in scripture that the one prerequisite God has for rescuing us is to recognize we NEED rescuing. Yet how often do we struggle and thrash about, attempting to free ourselves, resisting our Savior? It simply doesn't work! In Luke 18, Jesus told a story about a religious man (a Pharisee) and a notorious sinner (a tax collector), both praying to God. The Pharisee waxed eloquently in his prayer about how wonderful he was. The tax collector hung his head and cried out, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner" (v 13). Jesus then adds, "This man, rather than the other, went home justified before God." Know why? He KNEW he needed saving! You can't save yourself; a simple truth that the self-righteous Pharisee failed to grasp, as he religiously "thrashed about". The next time you're caught in "barbed-wire", remember God waits for us to be still, to trust Him and rely on His power, not our own efforts.