What My Horse Has Taught Me

Sometimes I wonder when exactly I started listening to my horse, Raychel, not that she can speak but she does teach me many lessons. For instance, she has more than once taught me not to get to far ahead of her in the saddle because an abrupt stop will throw me out of the saddle and over her head...usually onto my head! How exactly did she teach me this? She used her body language, she would make a small adjustment in her bodily movement that I would unfortunately miss. But as I have spent time (6 years) with her, I have learned to hear what she is telling me and I have learned to adjust my reactions around her to not end up on my head on the ground.
Psalms 20:7 reads "Some trust in chariots, and some trust in horses, but I will trust in the name of the Lord our God." This is actually a memory verse for a group I am in and it struck me when the psalmist said "...some trust in horses..." Why? Well among other things, I am still learning to trust my horse when we are riding in unfamiliar territory. She often sees things before me and begins to make adjustments to her body before we even get to the obstacle. However, I often make her readjust her actions to my desires, even though she knows that it probably isn't the best reaction she trusts me.
All to often I am finding that I am reacting the same way with God. He sees ahead and asks me to start making adjustments in my life before I even get to the obstacle. Whether or not I accept those instructions and trust Him is my choice. I want to be in control and do things my way, even though those things may end me up on the ground on my head...which is usually the way it happens with God too. "...but I will trust in the name of the Lord our God", what an unusual way to live, trusting a life director when I can't see Him lead, when I have no idea what is ahead, and when I find myself afraid to trust Him. Just like Raychel, God allows me to make the decision to trust Him and just like with Raychel I am learning to trust His guidance. It's been slow going but I've only been doing this for a year, remember it has been a long 6 years with Raychel and even now I am still getting ahead of her and not trusting her. I don't think that I will ever get it exactly right with God (or Raychel for that fact) and I don't think I'm suppose to.
I believe that God is trying to get my attention, yours too if you listen close enough. What I find is my problem is that I don't want to have to trust because that would mean that I have made the adjustment. I have to let go, I have to step out.
I always tell people that the horse doesn't have to like what I tell it to do, she just has to do it. That is exactly what God is saying...'you don't have to like it, you just have to do it!' I guess my horse has taught me more than I have taught her, maybe she was listening to God when I was working on my own agenda. I think it's time to let go.
"Some trust in chariots and some trust in horses, but as for me I will trust in the name of the Lord our God."