When my nine year-old daughter adopted her dog, Zephyr, from the Humane Society, I knew she had her work cut out for her. Bloated from poor nutrition and crawling with fleas, Zephyr had no idea how to walk on a leash. Due to unfortunate circumstances beyond her control, she had never known love or had any training.

As soon as we signed the adoption papers, I clipped a short leash to Zephyr’s collar and handed the other end to my daughter. “For the next few days, you two are attached,” I said.

At first, Zephyr tried to go her own way — especially when we stopped at the dog wash for a bath. But the leash was short enough that she couldn’t get too far from her new owner. All during homework, piano practice, and dinnertime, the leash kept her nearby. When the other dogs in the house ran and played, the leash kept her close.

Though initially headstrong, Zephyr learned to shadow my daughter’s every move. She learned to stop pulling and to come when she was called. The more she responded to her new owner, the more freedom she enjoyed. Eventually, she needed no leash at all.

So often, our walk with God is like Zephyr’s: we suffer from a poor spiritual diet, we’re infested with this world’s filth, and we desperately need rescuing. We resist the limitations God places on us. Only later do we realize those limitations are necessary for our relationship to grow.

There is no one God loves more than you. Why not resolve to stay close to Him and follow wherever He leads!