Am I Under Control or Being Controlled?

Psalm 32:9-11 (NIV) “Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you. Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him. Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!”

I have learned a great deal about horses over the last few years, and one thing that amazes me is the power that resides within the body of a horse. Yet a horse can be controlled with a bit and bridle (most of the time). My horse gets a bucket of feed each morning, but before I feed him, I put a bridle on him so I can lead him where he needs to go when he finishes eating. That small bridle makes a significant difference in the horse’s attitude regarding who’s in charge. The bridle is necessary because he has no understanding of where he is to go.

I think the writer of these verses makes a good point that we are to be submissive to God’s control without the necessity of some sort of restraint. A horse is much happier if he is unrestrained within the fences than he is on a rope tied to a restraint. When the writer refers to “the LORD's unfailing love” surrounding “the man who trusts in him” it reminds me that I am fenced in by the love of God. It is much better to be free within God’s fences than to be bridled with no understanding of what life is supposed to be.