Sticky Cows and Open Gates

Yesterday we moved some cows, in the heat of the afternoon when they were all bunched up because of the flies, and they did not feel like moving. (We wouldn’t normally move them in the middle of the afternoon like that, but they didn’t have far to go.)

We started slowly heading them towards the gate. At one point there was a different gate they wanted to go towards, but we just kept circling and turning and pushing them in a tight group towards the right gate. They were moving, but it just felt slow and sticky. Until all of a sudden, when they were about 50 yards away, someone saw the gate and then it was a mad dash to flow through. 

Sometimes life feels like that. For a few days you spin in circles, consistently busy and moving and doing but not necessarily going anywhere, until suddenly something clicks and you see which direction you need to go and everything flows for a while. 

At least that’s how my week has gone. 

I’ve just been a little busy and overwhelmed (with lots of good things!) and have felt a little stuck in some of the things I’m trying to accomplish. Ranch work has felt like “hurry up and wait” because of little shots of rain. I haven’t seen the sun in two days, which is the most depressing weather in a drought - dreary and damp, but not raining enough to do any good. 

And then on a whim we decided it was a good time to go move cows to the next pasture, and I had one of those moments where the sun comes out for the first time in three days, you realize how good it feels to be out in the green grass working with your family, all the busy just fades into the background for a minute, and your energy and creativity and joy all start to flow again right as the cows find the gate. 

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I go through seasons where God just keeps putting one theme in front of me over and over, and lately that has been the metaphor of “paths” or “ways.” And how following His way doesn’t always mean we go straight forward, because we’re human and sooner or later we’ll take a wrong turn. But when that happens, we have to learn to always circle back in the right direction and keep moving towards Him.

Just like the cows who couldn’t see the open gate and didn’t really want to go where I wanted them to, sometimes we don’t always see where God is leading us. We just have to spin in circles for a while until we can finally see which direction he wants us to go and then everything flows. 

My example was just a couple of off days, but maybe you’re in a whole season where you feel like you’re spinning in circles, not sure what direction you’re supposed to be going. Keep turning towards God, and trusting Him. Eventually you’ll see an open gate to a greener pasture, and things will move faster. 

Until the next time you get stuck, but that’s just the cycle of life and grace.