Molly doesn’t know it, but when we go outside for toilet purposes or for our daily walk, I have a goal which I intend to achieve. She meanders around with no set purpose. Everything is interesting, to be smelt and explored, and time means nothing. My goal is to finish what I intended. Her goal is…well…I’m never really sure!

You see, being a dog, she doesn’t understand my thinking. Even if I encourage her with words, she is none the wiser. She lives in her “dog” world which is very different from mine. The only way I can guide her towards my intended purpose is to goad her, gently, in the right direction.

Molly reminds me of myself and God. Since I live in my “people” world, I don’t always know where God is leading or in which direction to go. I need Him to nudge me along the correct path with a goad that sometimes pricks and hurts.

Before he found the correct path for his life, the Apostle Paul was subject to God’s goad. He was on a path to destroy the early church by arresting and hauling Christians before the Sanhedrin for trial and execution. Wrong way, Saul! That’s not God’s plan for you.

So, this fanatical Pharisee was stopped short on his murderous mission. Flat on his face in the dust, Jesus Himself confronted him.

Acts 9:4-5 NKJV
[4] “Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” [5] And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”

Until that moment, Saul resisted the goads that Jesus used to steer him towards His plan. Now it was time to change.

Sometimes our conscience, sometimes our circumstances, sometimes God’s Word, and sometimes the people in our Iives act as goads. Whatever God uses to get our attention and redirect us along His path, best we heed the goads if we want to end up where He wants us to be.

The solution is simple

Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT
[5] “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. [6] Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”

Let’s not wait for the Lord to use His goad against our stubborn resistance. He will get us to where He wants to be, whatever it takes. Goads hurt! Seek His will to avoid the pain. He only uses goads when necessary.