Tale of a Tail

“I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.” (Romans 7:21)

Our dog soon discovered the joy of chasing squirrels in his new country environment. As quick as he is, though, they are just a little faster—but not too fast for the hunters in our family. And following family tradition, the squirrel’s tail is always a treat for the family dog. After handing Scout the tail, he wasn’t sure what to do. Whining, he walked around with it, trying to figure it out. He played with it, buried it, unburied it, wanted to bring it indoors, went outside, and repeated the process.

After days of agony, he did what he knew not to do—he walked into the house with it dangling from both sides of his mouth. I was about to scold him, but he sat down at my feet and looked up at me as if to say, “Please, help me, I can’t take it any longer! I do not know what to do with this thing!” He then opened his mouth and dropped the grubby tail at my feet. He stood and pitifully walked away and never looked back. Scout knew there was only one way to end his misery; he dropped his burden at my feet. Trusting me to free him of it, he reluctantly walked away but didn’t look back.

The apostle Paul underwent an internal war over what he was supposed to do but instead did wrong. He felt enslaved to sin and asked who could deliver him from the burden he carried that looked like, felt like, and smelled like a dead body strapped to his back. He then answered the question and thanked God that deliverance is found only in Jesus Christ our Lord (v. 24–25).

No matter a problem’s size or situation, it causes anguish. And anguish weighs you down. You can drop all burdens at the feet of Jesus, and walk away. He can and will take them from you. Trust Him—and no looking back.