A friend got a puppy because she was living by herself for the first time in a very long time. Even though she is on a fixed income, she paid hundreds of dollars for it, then even more in obedience classes which didn’t work, neutering and accessories. But the dog is not the cuddly little apartment dog she wanted. It is high strung, barks all the time, chews everything in sight and is almost impossible to discipline. Because she cannot trust it to not tear up her stuff, it stays in a dog crate in her bedroom. She tried it for months in the living room but found she couldn’t watch TV or work on the computer because the dog was constantly being disruptive. She has tried walking the dog four times a day to get its energy out. She’s tried and tried.
Then she thought maybe the dog would like a friend. She found a rescue dog- cute, soft, cuddly and well mannered. The exact type of dog she wanted. Now she is in a dilemma. The contrast between the two is making the first dog even less desirable. But she says she has invested so much time and money in the dog she feels a duty to keep it.
Okay- to be fair – it is not the little dog’s fault. It is just not the dog for her. The dog would be happier and have a better life with someone else who didn’t want to try and make it into what it will never be – a sedate, cuddly animal. Sometimes, you just have to let go and realize you made a mistake. And that may be the toughest part of all.
Is this not true of our habits? We have a disruptive one, and then Christ comes into our lives and shows us a better way. Yet, we still want to cling to what was before. So we try to justify keeping it.
It is hard to give up some things that we have been doing for so long. You may have friends that are a poor influence on us, or music that is not uplifting and wholesome. Yes, but. . . . What about the TV show we’ve watched for several years that has some morally loose characters – well, that’s okay because the plots are good. Then there is that author we like. Even though their language gets a bit much – it is still a page turner. That doesn’t mean we will talk like that, right? Watch out for your mistakes. You can justify yourself all you want, but the fact remains if you are justifying then you know they are not the right thing for you.
What are you investing your time and money in? Does it fit your Christian lifestyle, or is it fraying the edges of it? Is it disrupting your time with God and influencing your thoughts more than you think? Are you trying to justify the reasons to cling to it, or will you let go?
Where Did You Find God Today? 
Ouch! Scarey seeing that in black and white, says owner of the “tan tornado puppy”, how true that in relationships we want so bad for that “friend” to be what our expectations are and yet, as you said, they are what they are, especially anyone with an addictive behavior, unless they choose to change, they will continue to cause destruction and eventually pull us into the aftermath of the tornado destruction. Our duty, responsiblity and emotions can blind us to the truth . . . is it time to let go?
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