“PULLING AT THE BIT”

Psalm 32: 8, 9

I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you. Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding, whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check, otherwise they will not come near to you.

In this Psalm God gives His people some promises of instruction and leading along the road of life. He knows there will be difficulties along the way so He adds a third promise - that of personal counseling. Then He promises that His eye will be upon us.

I’ve always thought of God’s hand upon me, referring to His power, but I don’t believe I’ve ever thought of His eye as being upon me! This is His watchful care. He sees our every motive - our every intention. He wants to gently show us the way of His wise counsel. This means that He sees accurately the pitfalls in our path. He sees around the corners of our lives. He sees and knows the mistakes before we make them. In His counsel He tries to guide us around those mistakes.

If we are sensitive to His gentle voice we can avoid a lot of heartache and disappointment. However, if we remain stubborn and bent on our own way, He uses our mistakes as a bit in our mouth to get our attention. Often the bit is not pleasant. We pull against it and our “mouths” get tender and sore. It’s just God saying to us, “Child of mine, I want you to listen and pay attention to me!”

The horse is a vivid analogy of this truth. Often horses are spirited and stubborn and need the bit in order to keep them in line. Then there are horses, while the owner puts the bit into their mouth, the bit is not really needed because somewhere along the way the horse wised up. He learned that it’s not good to go around with a sore mouth all the time. He realized that it’s better for him to simply stop struggling and fighting his master’s wish and go with the flow.

Believer, are you facing unnecessary difficulties in your life? If you are, maybe you are pulling at the bit. Let me suggest that you reassess your sensitivity to His leading and His wise counsel. This is not the only reason we face difficulties, but it is a primary one.

The wisest man who ever lived wrote -

Listen to counsel and accept discipline, that you may be wise the rest of your days. Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but the counsel of the Lord, it will stand. Proverbs 19: 20, 21

Remember, God speaks loud enough for a listening heart to hear. Beloved, are you listening?

Love to you all.